W:NDOM 


MEMORIAL  TRIBUTES 

TO    THE 

CHARACTER   AND    PUBLIC    SERVICES 

CP 

WILLIAM  WINDOM 

TOGETHER  WITH 

HIS  LAST  ADDRESS 


Love  suffereth  long,  and  is  kind ; 

Love  envieth  not ; 

Love  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  not  puffed  up, 
Doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly, 

Seeketh  not  her  own, 
Is  not  easily  provoked, 

Thinketh  no  evil ; 

Rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth ; 

Beareth  all  things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things, 

Endureth  all  things 

ST.  PAUL 


CAMBRIDGE 

Printed  at  t&e  Eiberatoe 

M  DCCC  XCI 


This  volume  is  printed  for  private  distribution 
among  those  to  whom  it  will  have  a  personal 
interest.  While  much  of  the  material  it  contains 
has  been  otherwise  published,  yet  as  it  has  taken 
only  a  scattered  and  fugitive  form,  it  is  here 
grouped  in  more  permanent  shape,  as  a  souvenir 
valuable  to  the  family  and  immediate  friends. 


983601 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH 1 

THE  CLOSING  DAY 10 

THE  OBSEQUIES 17 

DR.  HAMLIN'S  ADDRESS 22 

EXECUTIVE  ORDER 37 

ACTION  BY  THE  Two  HOUSES  OF  CONGRESS      ....    39 

ACTION  OF  THE  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT 44 

ACTION  OF  THE  MINNESOTA  LEGISLATURE 46 

MEMORIAL  RESOLUTIONS 53 

LETTERS  OF  CONDOLENCE 65 

TELEGRAMS 85 

ABTICLE  FROM  THE  NEW  YORK  INDEPENDENT  BY  GEN. 

A.  B.  NETTLETON 90 

THE  GOVERNMENT  LOAN  NEGOTIATION  OF  1881     .     .    .    95 

EDITORIAL  COMMENTS 102 

MR.  WINDOM'S  LAST  ADDRESS 140 

TABLET    .  161 


THE  ancestors  of  William  Winddm  were  con 
sistent  Quakers,  and  early  "migrated  from  England 
to  America,  settling  in  Virginia.  His  paternal 
and  maternal  grandfathers,  George  Windom  and 
Nathan  Spencer,  removed  to  Ohio  during  the 
minority  of  his  parents,  and  were  among  the 
pioneer  farmers  of  Belmont  County.  Here,  in 
the  year  1817,  Hezekiah  Windom,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,  wedded  the  Quaker  maiden  Mercy 
Spencer,  who  was  two  years  his  junior. 

Two  children  were  born  to  them,  the  younger, 
William  Windom,  on  the  "  10th  day  of  the  5th 
month,"  1827. 

The  home  of  Hezekiah  and  Mercy  Windom 
was  a  humble  one,  but  it  was  a  home  of  purity  and 
peace.  The  mother  always  wore  the  Quaker  garb, 
and  the  children  as  well  as  the  parents  used  the 
Quaker  forms  of  speech.  After  he  was  grown  to 
manhood,  and  as  long  as  his  parents  lived,  Mr. 
Windom  when  visiting  them,  or  in  writing  to 
them,  naturally  and  easily  resumed  the  "  thee  " 
and  "  thou  "  of  his  childhood. 


2  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

In  1837  the  family  removed  to  Knox  County  in 
the  same  State.  This  was  thenceforth  the  family 
home.  Here,  amid  the  limitations,  the  hard  work, 
and  the  wholesome  economies  of  pioneer  farm  life 
in  the  Buckeye  State,  William  Windom  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  boyhood  and  laid  the  founda 
tions  of  his  subsequent  character  and  career.  In 
that  early  day  Knox  County  was  far  removed 
from  the  great  markets,  and  the  lack  of  any  ade 
quate  means  of  transportation  kept  the  price  of 
farm  products  so  low  that  little  money  came  to  fill 
the  family  purse.  But  the  poverty  of  Hezekiah 
Windom  was  "  the  poverty  of  the  frontier,  which 
is  indeed  no  poverty ;  it  is  but  the  beginning  of 
wealth." 

The  boy's  early  educational  advantages  were 
only  such  as  the  country  schools  of  that  day  af 
forded,  and  the  eager  reading  of  such  books  as 
were  to  be  found  in  the  small  libraries  of  the  neigh 
borhood.  Probably  a  lawyer  had  never  been  seen 
among  the  peaceable  Quakers  of  Knox  County ; 
but  in  books,  young  Windom  had  met  some  fas 
cinating  representatives  of  the  legal  profession, 
and  while  still  a  mere  lad,  had  settled  in  his 
own  mind  the  question  of  a  career.  He  would 
be  a  lawyer.  To  Hezekiah  and  Mercy  Windom 
this  was  a  most  alarming  declaration.  Their 
religion  had  taught  them  to  regard  the  profession 
of  law  with  peculiar  disfavor,  and  hoping  to  save 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCH  3 

their  son  from  so  worldly  and  iniquitous  a  calling, 
they  resolved  that  he  should  learn  and  follow  "  a 
good  honest  trade."  But  the  lad's  instincts  and 
ambitions  were  stronger  than  parental  purposes, 
and  the  result  was  an  academic  course  at  Mar- 
tinsburg,  Ohio,  followed  by  a  thorough  course  in 
law  in  the  office  of  Judge  R.  C.  Hurd  of  Mount 
Vernon.  In  1850,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three, 
Mr.  Windom  was  admitted  to  the  bar  at  Mount 
Vernon,  and  at  once  entered  upon  the  practice  of 
his  profession. 

As  may  be  supposed,  this  result  was  not  accom 
plished  without  great  effort  and  self-denial.  That 
Mr.  Windom's  parents  finally  acquiesced  in  their 
son's  decision  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  his 
father  mortgaged  his  farm  to  raise  a  sum  of 
money  to  assist  him  while  pursuing  his  studies. 
This,  however,  was  in  the  form  of  a  loan,  and  was 
promptly  repaid  after  he  had  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  law.  While  in  the  academy,  Mr. 
Windom  taught  school  in  winter,  and  with  his 
father  and  brother  did  the  work  of  a  man  in  the 
harvest-field  in  the  summer.  Also  for  a  time, 
while  studying  law  in  Mount  Vernon,  he  served 
several  hours  each  day  as  assistant  to  the  postmas 
ter  of  the  town.  Though  never  boastful  of  his  suc 
cess  in  struggling  with  adverse  circumstances,  Mr. 
Windom  regarded  this  part  of  his  career  with  no 
sense  of  shame,  but  rather  with  a  just  and  manly 
pride. 


4  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

In  1855  the  new  Northwest  was  attracting  the 
enterprising  spirits  of  the  Eastern  and  Central 
States.  Mr.  Windom  felt  a  desire  to  identify 
himself  with  the  stirring  life  of  the  great  region 
then  just  opening  to  settlement  beyond  the  upper 
Mississippi,  in  whose  future  he  saw  possibilities 
which  subsequently  were  more  than  realized. 
Closing  his  office  in  Mount  Vernon,  and  bidding 
adieu  to  old  friends,  he  went  to  Minnesota,  then 
a  territory  embracing  thrice  its  present  area,  and, 
after  a  survey  of  the  field,  settled  in  the  practice 
of  law  at  Winona.  Here  he  maintained  a  legal 
residence  until  the  time  of  his  death. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  1856,  Mr.  Windom 
was  married  in  Warwick,  Massachusetts,  to  Ellen 
Towne,  third  daughter  of  the  Rev.  R.  C.  Hatch 
of  that  place ;  the  father  being  the  officiating  cler 
gyman.  The  union  thus  formed  was  one  of  un 
broken  happiness,  and  nowhere  did  the  combined 
sweetness  and  strength  of  Mr.  Windom' s  nature 
make  itself  felt  as  in  his  own  home.  No  shadow 
ever  fell  across  its  threshold,  until  that  fatal 
night  when  its  light  was  so  suddenly  extinguished. 
All  who  came  within  the  sphere  of  his  influence 
felt  the  charm  of  his  personality.  One  who  was 
ever  a  welcome  guest  writes,  "  He  lifted  me  up  ; 
not  up  to  his  level  — few  could  reach  that  —  but 
up  towards  his  high  plane  of  life.  I  could  always 
bear  the  burdens  of  life  more  easily  after  receiv- 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH  5 

ing  the  warm  pressure  of  his  hand  and  seeing  his 
pleasant  smile."  Similar  words  might  be  quoted 
from  scores  of  other  friends. 

Destiny  had  evidently  marked  Mr.  Windom 
for  a  life  of  public  service.  In  the  autumn  of 
1858,  at  the  age  of  thirty-one,  he  was  elected  as 
a  Republican  to  the  Thirty-sixth  Congress,  and 
was  successively  reflected  to  serve  in  the  Thirty- 
seventh,  Thirty-eighth,  Thirty-ninth  and  Fortieth 
Congresses,  a  period  of  ten  years,  terminating  in 
1869.  In  that  year  he  was  appointed  to  the 
United  States  Senate  to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of 
Hon.  D.  S.  Norton,  deceased.  In  1871  he  was 
elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  by  the  Legis 
lature  of  Minnesota  for  the  usual  six  years  term, 
and  was  reflected  in  1877.  In  the  National  Re 
publican  Convention  of  1880,  Mr.  Windom's 
name  was  presented  and  during  twenty-eight  bal 
lots  was  adhered  to  by  the  delegates  from  Minne 
sota,  as  their  candidate  for  the  presidency.  In 
March,  1881,  he  was  appointed  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  in  the  Cabinet  of  President  Garfield. 
Retiring  from  the  Treasury  upon  the  death  of 
the  president  and  the  accession  of  Mr.  Arthur 
in  the  autumn  of  1881,  Mr.  Windom  was  again 
reflected  to  the  United  States  Senate  and  served 
out  the  term  expiring  March  3,  1883,  making  an 
aggregate  of  twelve  years  in  that  body.  From 
the  last  named  date  until  March,  1889,  with  the 


6  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

exception  of  a  year  spent  in  foreign  travel  with 
his  family,  he  devoted  himself  to  his  private  busi 
ness,  which  hitherto  had  claimed  too  little  of  his 
attention.  From  this  he  was  called  by  President 
Harrison  to  serve  again  as  Secretary  of  the  Treas 
ury,  the  duties  of  which  post  he  re-assumed 
March  4,  1889. 

Entering  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  in  the 
ardor  of  his  youth,  and  when  the  rising  tide  of 
antislavery  reform  was  reaching  its  culmination, 
Mr.  Windom  threw  himself  with  enthusiasm  into 
the  conflict  of  ideas  which  was  soon  to  result  in 
a  widespread  conflict  of  arms.  Two  years  later, 
and  at  the  beginning  of  his  second  term  in  Con 
gress,  the  war  for  the  Union  opened,  and  from 
that  time  until  its  victorious  close,  Mr.  Windom, 
though  among  the  youngest  of  the  men  then  in 
the  arena  of  national  politics,  helped  to  render 
the  war  period  memorable  in  civic,  as  it  was  in 
martial  affairs. 

During  his  long  service  in  the  Senate,  Mr. 
Windom  was  actively  identified  with  many  lead 
ing  measures  of  legislation.  From  1876  until  he 
resigned  his  seat  to  take  the  portfolio  of  the 
Treasury  in  1881,  he  occupied  the  arduous  and 
responsible  post  of  chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Appropriations,  and  when  he  reentered  the  Senate 
after  the  death  of  President  Garfield,  he  became 
chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Relations. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH  1 

Shortly  after  1870  began  the  agitation  in  re 
spect  to  inland  transportation.  So  widespread, 
especially  among  farmers,  was  the  demand  for  im 
proved  facilities  for  reaching  the  markets  of  the 
world,  that  Congress  was  constrained  to  consider 
the  problem  in  all  its  bearings.  The  Senate  ap 
pointed  a  special  committee  on  Transportation 
Routes  to  the  Seaboard,  of  which  Mr.  Windom 
was  made  chairman.  After  very  diligent  study 
of  the  subject,  during  which,  accompanied  by 
several  members  of  the  committee,  he  visited  the 
chief  commercial  centres  of  the  Union,  Mr.  Win 
dom  wrote  in  1874  a  report  of  the  committee's 
investigations  and  conclusions,  which  was  pub 
lished  in  two  volumes  by  order  of  Congress. 
This  report  was  a  pioneer  publication  in  the  field 
which  it  covered,  and  has  proved  to  be  an  invalu 
able  magazine  of  carefully  digested  facts  and  just 
deductions  which  have  contributed  not  a  little  to 
shape  the  legislation  of  Congress  and  various 
State  legislatures  affecting  the  carrying  trade  of 
the  country. 

In  the  United  States  Senate,  twelve  years  after 
the  report  in  question  was  laid  before  Congress 
and  the  country,  Mr.  Hoar  of  Massachusetts,  in 
debating  a  resolution  providing  for  a  continuance 
of  similar  investigations,  said,  "  I  think  Senators 
who  have  attended  to  the  subject  will  agree  gen 
erally  that  the  most  valuable  state  paper  of  mod- 


8  WILLIAM    WINDOM 

era  times  published  by  this  country  is  the  report 
made  by  the  late  Senator  and  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  Mr.  Windom,  from  the  Committee  on 
Transportation  Koutes  to  the  Seaboard  on  the 
general  question  of  the  relation  of  the  railroads 
to  the  commerce  of  the  country,  and  the  means 
of  controlling  the  railroads  in  the  interests  of 
commerce.  That  most  instructive,  valuable  and 
profound  report  brings  the  subject  down  to  the 
year  1873."  * 

In  current  comments  by  the  press,  and  utter 
ances  by  his  contemporaries,  quotations  from  which 
are  given  in  this  volume,  will  be  found  adequate 
mention  of  other  public  measures  in  which.  Mr. 
Windom  took  a  leading  part. 

In  the  Cabinet  of  President  Harrison  Mr. 
Windom  served  from  March  4,  1889,  until  Janu 
ary  29,  1891,  the  date  of  his  death.  Of  the 
character  of  his  work  during  that  period,  of  the 
scenes  which  attended  the  close  of  his  life  and  of 
the  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  by  his  coun 
trymen  of  all  political  parties,  the  following  pages 
may  be  left  to  speak. 


To  all  who  knew  Mr.  Windom  familiarly,  or 
who  had  come  within  the  atmosphere  of  his  rare 
personality,  any  estimate  of  his  character  and 

1  Congressional  Record  of  March  18,  1885. 


WILLIAM   WINDOM 

AT  THE   AGE  OF  FORTY 
December,     1867. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   SKETCH 

career  would  seem  purposely  deficient  which 
should  omit  reference  to  his  strongly  religious  na 
ture.  In  early  manhood  he  publicly  professed 
his  faith  in  Christ,  connecting  himself  with  the 
Congregational  church,  of  which  he  remained  a 
consistent  member  until  the  time  of  his  death ;  and 
throughout  a  lifetime  of  strenuous  activity  and 
conflict,  covering  a  period  of  political  agitation 
and  tempest  scarcely  equaled  in  the  history  of 
men,  he  not  only  "  bore  the  white  flower  of  a 
blameless  life  "  but  maintained  that  inward  spir 
itual  calm  which  comes  alone  to  him  whose  soul 
is  anchored  in  an  intelligent  Christian  faith.  He 
was  always  impressed  with  what  Professor  Drum- 
mond  calls  the  manliness  of  Christ.  He  neither 
paraded  nor  concealed  the  fact  of  his  loyalty  to 
his  Maker,  but  he  could  not,  if  he  would,  have 
prevented  the  shining  forth  of  that  inward  light 
which  irradiated  his  whole  being. 

"  Men  there  are  in  this  loud  stunning  tide 

Of  human  care  and  crime, 
With  whom  the  melodies  abide 

Of  the  everlasting  chime  : 
Who  carry  music  in  their  heart 
Through  dusky  lane  and  wrangling  mart, 
Plying  their  daily  task  with  busier  feet, 
Because  their  secret  souls  a  holy  strain  repeat." 


€i)c 


ME.  WINDOM'S  well-known  interest  in  the 
question  of  improved  methods  for  the  interchange 
of  commodities  and  the  upbuilding  of  the  mer 
chant  marine  of  the  United  States,  naturally 
brought  him  into  touch  with  members  of  associa 
tions  organized  at  commercial  centres  for  the  ad 
vancement  of  these  interests.  When,  therefore, 
he  received  an  invitation  from  the  Board  of  Trade 
and  Transportation  of  New  York  to  attend  their 
annual  banquet,  making  its  convenience  secondary 
to  his,  and  courteously  allowing  him  to  name  the 
date,  he  at  once  accepted. 

The  official  duties  of  the  Secretary,  always  very 
exacting,  were  greatly  augmented  by  the  session 
of  Congress,  which  was  largely  devoted  to  a  dis 
cussion  and  formulation  of  financial  measures  ; 
and  the  necessity  for  husbanding  his  strength 
forbade  his  attendance  generally  at  public  enter 
tainments.  In  reply  to  some  expressions  of  soli 
citude  lest  this  additional  tax  upon  his  time  and 
strength  might  prove  too  exhausting,  Mr.  Windom 
said  that  the  occasion  would  place  him  among 


THE  CLOSING  DAY  11 

friends  with  whom  in  former  years  he  had  labored 
in  a  common  cause,  and  furnish  an  opportunity 
which  he  was  unwilling  to  forego  to  urge  measures 
which  he  considered  to  be  of  great  importance  to 
the  country. 

In  responding  to  this  call  from  New  York,  Mr. 
Windom  accepted,  not  simply  an  invitation  to  a 
banquet,  but  a  summons  to  the  discharge  of  a 
duty  as  distinctly  patriotic  as  any  ever  laid  upon 
a  public-spirited  citizen  of  the  Republic. 

On  the  morning  of  Thursday,  the  29th  of  Jan 
uary,  Mr.  Windom  left  Washington  for  New 
York  with  his  private  secretary,  meeting  in  the 
car  his  colleagues,  General  Tracy,  Secretary  of 
the  Navy,  and  the  Hon.  W.  H.  H.  Miller,  the 
Attorney-General,  who  were  to  be  guests  with  him 
at  the  banquet  and  were  also  to  deliver  addresses. 

The  Attorney-General  says :  "  Soon  after  the 
train  started,  I  went  to  Mr.  Windom' s  seat  and 
for  some  time  we  talked  together  of  various  mat 
ters  of  public  business.  We  discussed  the  Behr- 
ing  Sea  question,  the  recent  contest  in  regard  to 
the  same  in  the  Supreme  Court,  and  various  sug 
gestions  were  made  looking  to  an  adjustment  of 
the  dispute.  Mr.  Windom  also  broached  and 
discussed  quite  fully  the  changes  which  he  thought 
ought  to  be  made  in  the  customs  regulations  af 
fecting  the  question  of  transportation,  and  out 
lined  to  me  in  a  general  way  the  plan  of  his  ad- 


12  WILLIAM  WINDOM 

dress.  In  this  connection  he  said  something  quite 
characteristic  of  the  man,  as  I  estimate  his  char 
acter,  and  which  can  but  be  a  pleasing  recollec 
tion  to  his  friends.  In  speaking  of  the  financial 
part  of  his  address,  particularly  of  the  silver 
question,  he  said,  '  I  shall  talk  plainly,  because  I 
feel  earnestly  upon  this  subject.  I  regard  the 
right  settlement  of  this  question  as  vital  to  our 
national  prosperity,  and  I  am  in  just  that  position 
where  I  am  not  timid  about  telling  the  whole  truth 
as  I  understand  it.  I  have  absolutely  no  ambition 
except  to  serve  my  country  and  my  chief.' 

"  Mr.  Windom  also  talked  with  General  Tracy 
and  myself  of  the  business  which  he  expected 
would  engage  his  attention  on  Friday  in  New 
York  —  the  pushing  forward  of  the  work  of  the 
Immigrant  Station  on  Ellis  Island,  in  order  that 
there  might  be  nothing  to  impede  or  cripple  the 
department  in  its  administration  of  the  immi 
gration  laws  in  the  spring." 

The  condition  of  arriving  immigrants  had  ex 
cited  Mr.  Windom's  compassionate  interest,  and 
he  was  intent  upon  comprehensive  measures  for 
ameliorating  their  condition,  as  well  as  for  en 
forcing  the  laws  excluding  criminals  and  other 
undesirable  classes.  Among  the  reforms  immedi 
ately  introduced  by  him,  upon  transferring  the 
immigration  business  at  the  port  of  New  York  to 
national  control,  were  the  banishment  of  runners 


THE  CLOSING  DAY  13 

and  other  harpies  from  the  immigrant  station  and 
its  precincts,  and  the  complete  suppression  of  the 
sale  of  intoxicants  on  the  government  premises. 

The  Attorney-General  further  says  :  "  Through 
out  the  day  Mr.  Windom  seemed  to  be  feeling 
well,  and  even  buoyant  in  spirits. 

Arriving  in  New  York,  he  was  driven  at  once 
to  the  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  where  at  the  appointed 
hour  a  committee  of  the  Board  of  Trade  called, 
and  escorted  him  to  the  place  of  the  banquet. 

In  the  parlors  of  Delmonico's  were  assembled 
many  public  men  from  various  parts  of  the  coun 
try,  and  leading  merchants  of  New  York,  and 
conversation  was  stimulated  by  the  renewal  of  for 
mer  acquaintance,  and  the  interchange  of  kindly 
greetings  with  old  and  new  friends;  the  recep 
tion  of  guests  and  exchange  of  salutations  occu 
pying  an  hour.  At  seven  o'clock  Mr.  Windom 
took  the  arm  of  the  President  of  the  Board,  and, 
followed  by  the  members  and  guests,  led  the  way 
to  the  banquet  hall,  where  he  was  seated  at  the 
right  of  the  President,  Mr.  Ambrose  Snow.  On 
his  right  was  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy.  The 
scene  was  a  brilliant  one;  art  and  wealth  had 
combined  to  make  the  surroundings  beautiful, 
and  the  interest  of  all  was  whetted  by  the  antici 
pations  of  the  evening.  In  accordance  with  his 
recent  custom  on  similar  occasions  Mr.  Windom 
scarcely  partook  of  the  banquet,  permitting  most 


14  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

of  the  courses  to  pass  untouched,  and  giving  his 
time  mainly  to  pleasant  conversation.  When  the 
last  course  had  been  served,  President  Snow  made 
a  brief  address,  after  which  Judge  Arnoux,  the 
toastmaster  of  the  evening,  introduced  the  Sec 
retary  of  the  Treasury.  Mr.  Windom  rose  and 
began  his  remarks  upon  the  sentiment,  "  Our 
Country's  Prosperity  dependent  upon  its  Instru 
ments  of  Commerce."  He  had  selected  this 
phrase  in  order  that  his  text  might  be  broad 
enough  to  cover  the  twin  topic  as  it  appeared  to 
his  own  mind.  He  believed  that  a  nation's  trans 
portation  system  and  its  money  system  are  so 
closely  allied  that  they  should  go  hand  in  hand, 
and  that  the  welfare  of  the  former  requires  the 
most  harmonious  relations  with  the  latter.  He 
spoke  in  a  full,  resonant  voice,  distinctly  audible 
in  all  parts  of  the  room.  "  Every  modulation  of 
his  voice  and  every  gesture  indicated  the  speaker 
who  had  himself  and  his  subject  under  perfect 
control."  Says  the  Attorney-General :  "In  re 
gard  to  the  speech,  little  need  be  said.  It  ap 
proves  itself  as  a  great  speech  and  it  was  deliv 
ered  with  a  fervor  and  earnestness  and  an  ora 
torical  power  which  I  had  never  before  observed 
in  Mr.  Windom,  and  which  I  have  rarely  seen 
surpassed  by  any  one.  It  was  a  great  speech  de 
livered  in  a  masterly  manner,  and  it  produced  a 
profound  impression  on  all  who  heard  it." 


THE  CLOSING  DAY  15 

He  had  proceeded  but  a  few  moments  when  it 
became  evident  that  the  enthusiasm  of  his  auditors 
was  aroused.  Demonstrations  of  approval  became 
more  and  more  pronounced.  These  at  length  be 
came  so  frequent  and  prolonged  that  the  speaker 
paused  to  say  that  as  others  were  to  follow,  and 
time  was  limited,  he  would  be  greatly  obliged 
if  they  would  allow  him  to  proceed  without  inter 
ruption.  Even  this  did  not  prevent  frequent  out 
bursts  of  applause.  Occasionally  he  would  de 
part  from  the  text  of  his  address  to  elaborate 
some  essential  point,  or  would  throw  in  some  witty 
remark  in  a  most  captivating  way.  There  was 
no  sign  of  weariness.  Apparently  he  was  happy 
in  the  consciousness  that  he  was  announcing  great 
truths  in  a  convincing  manner,  and  that  he  car 
ried  with  him  the  hearty  approbation  of  his  audi 
tors.  Mr.  Windom  spoke  forty  minutes,  and 
closed  amid  applause  which  was  almost  bewilder 
ing  —  conscious  that  he  had  spoken  acceptably, 
not  only  to  a  present  audience  whose  esteem  he 
prized,  but  to  a  nation  which  would  read  and 
weigh  his  words. 

When  the  toastmaster  attempted  to  introduce 
Mr.  Bayard,  who  was  to  be  the  next  speaker, 
he  was  interrupted  by  a  demand  for  three  more 
cheers  for  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  These 
were  given  with  the  greatest  enthusiasm,  all  pres 
ent  rising,  and  in  response  the  Secretary  partially 


16  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

arose   and    courteously   bowed   his    acknowledg 
ments. 

The  guests  were  resuming  an  attitude  of  atten 
tion,  and  the  toastmaster  of  the  evening  was  in  the 
act  of  introducing  Mr.  Bayard,  when  those  near 
Mr.  Windom  were  startled  by  a  change  in  his 
appearance.  His  eyes  closed,  and  it  was  evident 
that  some  sudden  weakness  had  fallen  upon  him. 
Prompt  hands  came  to  his  support  and  physicians 
present  were  instantly  in  attendance.  Tenderly 
the  unconscious  form  was  borne  to  an  adjoining 
room  and  every  effort  was  made  to  revive  it,  but 
in  vain.  The  strong,  loving  heart  had  ceased  to 
beat,  and  death,  evidently  instant  and  painless, 
had  supplanted  life.  Nay,  rather  shall  we  not 
say,  that  life  had  conquered  death,  and  the  man 
we  knew  and  loved  as  William  Windom  —  no 
longer  mortal —  had  "  put  on  immortality." 


FROM  accounts  published  in  the  daily  journals 
of  January  30th  and  February  2d,  the  following 
is  condensed :  — 

JANUARY  30th. 

Washington  awoke  this  morning  to  be  shocked 
throughout  all  the  ranks  of  its  life  by  the  tidings 
of  Secretary  Windom's  sudden  death.  The  long 
period  of  his  official  life,  and  constant  advance 
ment  under  the  immediate  eye  of  our  citizens 
had  made  him  known  and  respected  by  every 
body.  But  there  was  something  beyond  all  this 
that  gave  keen  edge  to  the  general  sorrow.  He 
was  everywhere  loved,  and  the  city  is  full  of 
mourners.  The  national  capital  has  felt  a  shock 
such  as  it  has  experienced  but  few  times  in  its  his 
tory,  the  explosion  on  the  Princeton  and  the  tra 
gedies  of  assassination  being  its  chief  parallels. 
Everywhere  over  the  city  waves  the  flag  at  half 
mast ;  and  the  Treasury  Department,  the  scene  of 
Mr.  Windom's  greatest  achievements,  is  heavily 
draped  in  black. 
2 


18  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

All  social  engagements  are  canceled,  and  both 
houses  of  Congress  met  but  to  adjourn.  A  few 
hours  later,  the  funeral  train  bearing  the  body  of 
the  late  Secretary,  accompanied  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  the  Attorney-General,  C.  M.  Hendley, 
Mr.  Windom's  private  secretary,  and  an  especial 
escort  of  honor  appointed  from  the  Board  of  Trade 
and  Transportation,  reached  the  city.  Its  recep 
tion  at  the  station  by  the  President  and  all  the 
principal  officers  of  the  Government,  together  with 
many  private  citizens,  was  an  impressive  scene, 
and  one  not  soon  to  be  forgotten.  The  solemn 
cortege,  headed  by  two  mounted  policemen,  moved 
slowly,  by  way  of  Pennsylvania  and  Vermont  ave 
nues,  to  the  residence  of  the  late  Secrtary  on  Mas 
sachusetts  Avenue. 


FEBRUARY  2d. 

All  the  world  of  Washington  helped  to  bear 
the  body  of  William  Windom  to  the  grave  to-day. 
There  have  not  been  more  noted  tributes  of  af 
fection,  nor  marked  manifestations  of  sincere 
grief,  at  the  death  of  any  public  man  here,  since 
the  days  of  Lincoln  and  Garfield.  All  the  Exec 
utive  Departments,  District  Government  build 
ings  and  Post-offices  were  closed  in  respect  to  the 
memory  of  the  deceased  ;  the  Supreme  Court  met 
only  to  adjourn,  and  Congress  did  not  meet  until 
after  the  body  had  been  laid  to  rest.  During  the 


THE   OBSEQUIES  19 

early  morning  hours,  there  was  a  continuous 
throng  of  sincere  mourners  passing  through  the 
parlors  of  the  family  residence  to  take  a  last 
look  at  the  face  of  the  dead  Secretary,  which  wore 
a  calm  and  peaceful  look,  like  that  of  one  who 
had  fallen  into  a  gentle  slumber. 

At  eleven  o'clock  the  doors  of  the  house  were 
closed,  and  soon  after  a  brief  religious  service 
was  held,  at  which  only  the  family  and  near  rela 
tives,  the  President,  Vice-President,  and  members 
of  the  Cabinet  with  their  families,  were  present. 

During  all  this  time,  an  immense  crowd  had 
been  gathering  around  the  house,  along  the  route 
of  the  procession,  and  about  the  Church  of  the 
Covenant,  but  there  was  little  need  of  the  guard 
of  mounted  police  which  preceded  the  funeral  train, 
the  demeanor  of  the  crowd  plainly  indicating  that 
it  had  been  drawn  thither  by  respect  and  affec 
tion,  rather  than  by  idle  curiosity. 

When  the  funeral  party  arrived  at  the  church, 
the  great  congregation  —  great  in  numbers  and 
for  the  most  part  great  in  station  and  honors,  but 
all  bowed  in  equal  humility  in  the  presence  of 
death  —  arose  as  by  one  impulse,  and  the  organ 
breathed  forth  the  low  tones  of  a  dirge,  while  the 
casket,  borne  aloft  on  the  shoulders  of  the  Treas 
ury  Guard,  moved  slowly  up  the  aisle  preceded  by 
the  members  of  the  Cabinet,  who  were  the  honor 
ary  pall-bearers,  and  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Hamlin, 


20  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

reciting,  "I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life. 
And  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall 
never  die." 

The  church  was  devoid  of  decoration,  except 
the  numerous  and  beautiful  floral  tributes  which 
were  arranged  in  front  of  the  pulpit  and  about 
the  casket ;  none  rested  upon  it,  except  a  rope  of 
violets  which  extended  around  the  edge  of  the 
casket,  and  three  magnificent  palm  branches 
crossed  and  tied  with  a  purple  ribbon.  The 
pew  formerly  occupied  by  the  deceased  was  va 
cant  and  heavily  draped  in  black. 

When  the  assembly  was  again  seated,  the  hymn 

"Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul," 

came  in  sweet,  subdued  voices  from  an  unseen 
choir.  When  the  last  soft  strains  had  died  away, 
Dr.  Hamlin  arose  and  read  a  selection  of  passages 
full  of  consolation,  beginning  "  Blessed  be  God, 
even  the  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

The  comforting  words  of  Scripture  fell  like 
balm  upon  the  sorrowing  throng.  "I  will  turn 
their  mourning  into  joy,  saith  the  Lord."  "  There 
shall  be  joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing 
shall  flee  away." 

The  choir  again  sang  a  hymn  which  was  a 
great  favorite  with  Mr.  Windom,  beginning,  — 

"  In  the  cross  of  Christ  I  glory, 

Towering  o'er  the  wrecks  of  time  ; 


THE    OBSEQUIES  21 

All  the  light  of  sacred  story 

Gathers  round  its  head  sublime." 

The  funeral  address  and  prayer,  by  Dr.  Ham- 
lin,  concluded  the  exercises. 

The  services  throughout  were  most  impressive 
in  character,  and  wholly  devoid  of  ostentation  or 
display.  The  same  simplicity  prevailed  at  Eock 
Creek  Cemetery,  where  the  only  reminder  of 
earthly  greatness  was  the  long  line  of  distin 
guished  persons  who  followed  the  body  to  its  last 
resting  place. 


A  MAN  of  charming  affability,  of  unfailing 
courtesy,  of  quiet  dignity,  of  beautiful  refine 
ment  ;  a  lawyer  of  judicial  temper  and  an  intuitive 
grasp  of  legal  principles ;  a  legislator  of  unwea 
rying  industry  and  of  undaunted  courage ;  a  Cab 
inet  officer  of  broad  views,  of  sound  policies,  of 
abundant  aggressiveness,  joined  to  safe  conserva 
tism  ;  a  man  of  unsullied  integrity ;  a  citizen  of 
unflinching  patriotism ;  a  friend,  husband,  father, 
of  tenderest,  manliest  love ;  a  Christian  of  sturdy 
faith,  sincere  humility,  unostentatious  piety,  — 
such  was  William  Windom.  Such  the  world 
knew  him  to  be  in  his  long  and  varied  public 
career.  Such  this  city  knew  him  to  be,  on  whose 
streets,  and  in  whose  best  homes,  he  has  been  a 
familiar  figure  since  1860.  Such  we  here  present 
knew  him  to  be,  who  have  been  privileged  to  as 
sociate  with  him  as  colleagues,  who  have  been 
honored  with  his  friendship  in  business,  or  in  social 
or  Christian  life. 

Mr.  Windom  was  born  in  Ohio.    Like  Lincoln, 


DR.  HAMLIN'S  ADDRESS  23 

Garfield,  and  a  multitude  of  our  noblest  men,  he 
was  a  child  of  the  soil,  not  of  city  streets.  Vir 
ginia  was  his  ancestral  State.  Both  parents  were 
devout  and  godly  Quakers.  His  early  training 
was  moral  and  religious.  He  was  familiar  in  his 
youth  with  the  hardships  and  limitations  of  pio 
neer  farm  life.  But  ambition  soon  began  to  stir 
within  his  heart.  Though  apprenticed  to  a  trade, 
he  felt  himself  capable  of  better  things,  and,  with 
characteristic  energy  and  concentration  of  effort, 
he  turned  to  the  study  of  law.  His  quick  per 
ception,  strong  logical  bent,  ready  grasp  of  great 
principles,  unflagging  industry,  and  enormous 
capacity  for  work,  insured  speedy  success,  and  at 
twenty-three  years  of  age  he  was  admitted  to  the 
bar.  After  two  years'  residence  and  practice  at 
Mount  Vernon,  Ohio,  he  was  elected  prosecuting 
attorney  for  the  county  by  a  majority  of  300, 
which  meant  a  change  of  1,300  votes,  a  striking 
presage  thus  early  in  life  of  the  remarkable  per 
sonal  popularity  that  was  always  thenceforward  to 
attend  him. 

In  1855  Mr.  Windom  removed  to  Winona, 
Minnesota,  and  that  splendid  State  became  his 
permanent  home.  But  he  was  not  to  continue  long 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession.  Within  four 
years  his  hold  upon  the  people  had  become  such 
that  he  was  elected  to  the  Thirty-sixth  Congress, 
and  reflected  four  times,  after  which  he  declined 


24  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

further  candidacy.  His  contemporaries  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  included  such  men  as 
Elihu  B.  Washburne,  Owen  Lovejoy,  William  A. 
Wheeler,  Reuben  E.  Fenton,  George  H.  Pendle- 
ton,  William  D.  Kelley,  Thaddeus  Stevens, 
Samuel  J.  Randall,  and  many  their  equals,  whose 
names,  happily  for  the  country,  are  not  yet  starred, 
and  which,  therefore,  propriety  forbids  my  men 
tioning.  Mr.  Windom  promptly  and  fully  met 
the  sharp  challenge  of  such  fellow-legislators, 
and  distinguished  himself  by  notable  service  on 
various  important  committees,  and  by  marked 
ability  on  the  floor  of  the  House.  These  ten  years 
covered  the  periods  of  the  Civil  War  and  of  re 
construction,  in  all  whose  great  movements  and 
measures  he  was  prominent  and  influential. 

Four  months  after  the  expiration  of  his  fifth 
term  in  the  House,  he  was  appointed  a  Senator 
to  fill  the  unexpired  term  of  Daniel  S.  Norton. 
Twice  he  was  elected  to  the  same  office,  thus  serv 
ing  nearly  thirteen  years.  Beside  him  in  that 
chamber  sat  Roscoe  Conkling,  Zachariah  Chan 
dler,  John  A.  Logan,  Oliver  P.  Morton,  Benjamin 
F.  Wade,  Simon  Cameron,  Thomas  A.  Hendricks, 
and  many  other  men  of  preeminent  talent,  not  a 
few  of  whom  are  here  to-day  in  sincere  sorrow. 
Amid  these  brilliant  names,  Mr.  Windom' s  shines 
with  steady  lustre,  not  for  captivating  eloquence, 
nor  for  startling  methods,  but  for  patient  iudus- 


DR.  HAMLIN'S  ADDRESS  25 

try,  broad  views,  and  invaluable  common-sense. 
In  1873,  as  chairman  of  a  special  committee 
on  transportation,  he  wrote  a  report  of  several 
hundred  pages,  which  is  universally  regarded  as 
an  exhaustive  masterpiece.  One  of  its  direct 
results  was  the  deepening  of  the  mouth  of  the 
Mississippi  Eiver,  a  work  of  incomparable  im 
portance  to  the  South  and  West.  In  1876  he 
became  chairman  of  the  Senate  Committee  on  Ap 
propriations,  a  position  that,  amid  the  legislative 
complications  then  existing,  involved  herculean 
labors,  all  of  which  were  patiently  and  success 
fully  performed. 

Twice  Mr.  Windom  has  been  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury.  He  had  great  predecessors  :  Alexander 
Hamilton,  first  and  greatest,  who  organized  the 
Department;  Albert  Gallatin,  reputed  the  chief 
financier  of  his  age ;  Salmon  P.  Chase,  who  car 
ried  this  Department  of  the  Government  safely 
through  the  appaDing  difficulties  of  the  Civil  War, 
and  created  the  national  banking  system.  Mr. 
Windom' s  opportunity  for  masterly  financiering 
was  scarcely  as  preeminent  as  they  and  some  other 
secretaries  have  enjoyed ;  yet  his  courageous  and 
brilliantly  successful  refunding  scheme  of  1881 
ranks  with  the  resumption  of  specie  payments 
under  the  act  of  1875,  and  Hamilton's  immortal 
"Keport  on  the  Public  Credit"  is  hardly  more 
clear,  far-sighted,  and  statesmanlike  than  the  plea 


26  WILLIAM   WINDOW 

of  last  Thursday  night  for  what  he  believed  to  be 
sound  currency  and  honest  finance.  His  brave 
and  timely  exercise  of  his  discretionary  powers 
last  autumn  in  the  face  of  impending  paralysis  of 
all  business  and  every  industry,  and  which  re 
stored  public  confidence  and  averted  national  if 
not  international  disaster,  was  a  thoroughly  typical 
act.  For  Mr.  Windom  was  not  a  statesman  of  the 
spectacular  school.  He  had  no  fondness  for  coups 
d'etat.  He  relied  upon  calm  intelligence,  upon  in 
dustry,  upon  transparent  integrity,  upon  the  final 
good  judgment  of  the  people.  This  faith  saved 
him  from  that  scourge  and  nemesis  of  politicians, 
timidity.  He  always  dared  to  do  the  thing  he 
saw  to  be  right ;  he  always  believed  that  in  the 
end  the  right  thing  would  secure  the  indorsement 
of  the  country  that  he  loved  so  dearly  and  served 
with  such  incorruptible  patriotism. 

The  House  of  Representatives,  the  Senate,  the 
Cabinet,  —  these  are  all  great  places,  and  Mr. 
Windom  did  great  work  in  them  all.  Still  the 
man  outweighs  the  statesman.  We  turn  from 
public  service  to  private  life.  His  handsome  face, 
his  majestic  head,  his  noble  form,  his  beautiful 
smile,  his  genial  greeting,  attracted  all  eyes  and 
won  all  hearts.  He  was  unspoiled,  unchanged,  by 
the  dizziest  elevation.  He  was  as  courteous  to 
the  humblest  man  as  to  the  highest ;  to  the  mes 
sengers  and  laborers  in  the  Treasury  as  to  his 


DR.  HAMLIN'S  ADDRESS  27 

fellow-officers  in  the  Cabinet.  Flattery  never  de 
ceived  him;  adulation  he  abhorred.  Display, 
pretense,  ambition  to  outshine  others,  were  sim 
ply  alien  to  his  nature.  His  character  was  as 
simple,  as  transparent,  as  a  child's.  What  wonder 
that  everybody  was  his  friend ;  that  everybody 
loved  him  ;  that  in  all  this  city,  in  his  State,  — 
indeed  in  all  the  land  where  he  had  ever  been,  — 
only  the  kindest  thoughts  are  entertained,  the 
kindest  words  spoken  about  him?  So  honest 
that,  after  a  public  life  of  thirty  years,  with  its  in 
numerable  opportunities  and  subtle  temptations, 
he  leaves  behind  only  a  very  modest  fortune.  So 
just  that,  in  the  tremendous  pressure  for  official 
appointments  at  his  disposal,  no  applicant,  however 
disappointed,  ever  felt  himself  wronged.  So  patient 
that,  in  all  that  furious  struggle,  his  closest  and 
most  constant  observer  testifies  that  he  never  saw 
him  ruffled.  So  loyal  to  duty  that  he  has  been 
working  on,  during  these  last  months,  regardless  of 
known  peril  to  life,  meanwhile  refusing  the  most 
flattering  and  urgent  offers  to  return  to  private 
business.  So  kind  that  thirty-five  years  of  house 
hold  life  have  left  behind  nothing  that  his  family 
would  wish  erased  or  changed.  Gentle,  yet  manly  ; 
firm  in  principle,  but  always  open  to  conviction; 
ever  approachable,  yet  ever  dignified ;  courageous 
but  not  rash ;  progressive,  but  wisely  conservative ; 
with  settled  opinions,  yet  never  censorious  of  those 


28  WILLIAM  WINDOM 

who  differed  from  him;  open-eyed,  clean-handed, 
pure-minded;  a  man  to  be  admired,  esteemed, 
trusted,  loved. 

Mr.  Windom  stood  for  purity  in  political  life. 
If  assailed  by  the  shafts  of  envy  and  malice,  an 
impenetrable  armor  of  character  was  his  protec 
tion,  and  the  poisoned  arrows  fell,  leaving  him 
unscathed.  When  defeated  for  reelection  to  the 
Senate  he  said  to  a  friend  :  "  "Well,  I  have  lost 
my  place,  but  I  have  kept  a  clear  conscience,  and 
that  is  better  than  office."  He  stood  for  all  moral 
reforms.  The  people  knew  exactly  where  to  find 
him  on  every  such  question.  Four  years  ago  he 
shared  the  deep  public  conviction  that  something 
decisive  must  be  done  to  check  the  audacious  ag 
gressions  of  the  saloon.  He  presided  at  a  na 
tional  conference  of  several  hundred  representa 
tive  men,  and  his  noble  speech  was  substantially 
the  platform  of  the  movement  that  has  sensibly 
elevated  public  sentiment,  strengthened  weak 
men  that  ought  to  be  leaders,  and  prepared  the 
way  for  better  things.  In  this,  as  in  many  other 
acts,  he  showed  a  simple  incapacity  to  be  deterred 
from  doing  a  plain  duty  by  consideration  of  ex 
pediency.  He  antagonized  the  saloon  without  a 
moment's  thought  of  its  effect  upon  his  political 
fortunes,  as  he  stood  firmly  to  his  last  hour,  and 
spoke  with  his  last  breath,  against  the  importu 
nate  demand  for  unlimited  coinage  of  silver.  This 


DR.   HAMLIWS  ADDRESS  29 

unfaltering  conscientiousness  won  him  the  warm 
regard  of  all  the  people,  without  distinction  of 
party ;  and  since  last  Thursday  night,  men  of  all 
shades  of  political  opinion  have  vied  with  each 
other  in  laying  on  his  bier  their  tributes  of  per 
fect  confidence  in  his  integrity. 

But,  best  of  all,  Mr.  Windom  was  a  Christian ; 
an  avowed,  consistent  Christian,  whether  prac 
ticing  law  in  a  Minnesota  village,  or  sitting  in  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States,  or  administering  the 
nation's  finances  at  the  head  of  the  Treasury. 
He  found  nothing  in  locality,  or  position  or  office, 
that  made  it  impracticable  to  be  an  outspoken 
follower  of  Jesus  Christ.  He  found  nothing  in 
this  city,  and  in  his  highest  preferments,  that  pre 
vented  his  living  up  to  the  principles  that  had 
proved  right  and  wise  in  less  conspicuous  places 
and  in  humbler  spheres. 

Less  than  two  years  ago  it  was  my  privilege  to 
spend  an  evening  with  him,  and  the  conversation 
turned  upon  Sabbath  observance.  He  defined  his 
own  custom  of  regular  church  attendance  and 
of  spending  the  remainder  of  the  day  quietly  at 
home.  He  said  :  "  You  cannot  imagine  the  pres 
sure  brought  upon  us  here  to  abandon  our  princi 
ples  and  habits,  but  I  stand  firm.  I  have  never 
accepted  an  invitation  to  dine  on  Sunday,  and  I 
never  shall  accept  one."  This  was  from  no  nar 
row,  Puritanical  notion  about  the  Lord's  day,  nor 


30  WILLIAM   WINDOW 

from  any  tradition  of  his  childhood ;  it  was  a  free, 
final  determination  of  his  mature  life.  The  basis 
of  it  he  thus  expressed  to  another  :  "  The  world 
crowds  me  hard  six  days  in  the  week ;  I  cannot 
afford  to  let  it  have  this  one.  I  do  not  know  how 
it  may  be  with  others,  but  for  myself  I  need  this 
rest  from  worldly  care,  and  the  opportunity  to 
turn  my  thoughts  to  themes  which  the  occupations 
of  the  week  disallow." 

Last  June  there  was  to  be  a  reception  in  this 
church  to  a  large  body  of  delegates  returning 
from  the  national  convention  of  Christian  En 
deavor  Societies  at  St.  Louis.  We  wanted  mes 
sages  for  these  young  people  from  men  whose 
position  would  add  weight  to  their  words.  I  in 
vited  Mr.  Windom  to  come  and  speak.  He  said  : 
"  My  official  duties  tax  my  strength  to  the  utmost. 
I  come  from  my  office  at  night  too  weary  to  read 
my  evening  papers.  But  I  do  not  believe  it  is 
right  for  a  Christian  man  to  work  so  hard  that  he 
is  incapacitated  for  his  religious  duties.  I  will 
come."  He  came ;  found  an  audience  of  hun 
dreds  of  young  men  and  women,  and  from  this 
pulpit,  with  one  of  his  colleagues  in  the  Cabinet, 
spoke  such  wise  and  loving  words  of  counsel  as 
cheered  and  strengthened  many  hearts. 

Only  last  week  I  asked  him  to  write  a  few  words 
for  Christian  Endeavor,  to  be  used  at  its  tenth 
anniversary  to-inorrow.  His  New  York  speech 


DR.  HAMLIN'S  ADDRESS  31 

prevented  immediate  compliance,  but  I  learn  that 
it  was  his  purpose  to  comply  with  the  request  as 
soon  as  that  public  duty  was  discharged. 

What  wonder  that  a  guest,  who  left  his  hospit 
able  home  one  week  ago  this  morning,  said  in 
parting :  "  Good-by,  Mr.  Windom  ;  I  am  a  better 
woman  for  having  known  you  these  three  days." 

"What  wonder  that  another  guest  said :  "  His 
prayers  at  the  family  altar  were  so  tender  and 
pleading  that  I  could  not  restrain  my  tears." 

What  wonder  that  one  of  the  most  eminent 
jurists  of  the  land,  after  more  than  fifty  years  of 
public  life,  and  an  almost  unequaled  acquaintance 
with  eminent  men,  said  on  Saturday :  "I  have 
known  Mr.  Windom  well  for  more  than  twenty 
years,  and  he  was  the  most  consistent  Christian  I 
have  ever  known  in  public  life." 

Nor  was  this  Christian  living  any  matter  of 
superficial  emotion,  or  of  the  compulsion  of  mere 
habit.  Mr.  Windom  was  as  far  from  being  a  weak 
sentimentalist  on  the  one  hand  as  from  being  a 
narrow  dogmatist  on  the  other.  He  was  a  genu 
inely  humble,  devout,  unostentatious  follower  of 
Jesus  Christ.  The  foundations  of  his  piety  lay 
deep  and  strong.  About  a  year  ago,  conversa 
tion  leading  in  this  direction,  he  said  to  his  wife, 
—  it  sounds  like  prophecy  now,  —  "  Lest  I  might 
some  time  go  and  leave  you  without  an  opportu 
nity  to  say  this,  I  want  you  to  have  the  comfort  of 


32  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

knowing  that  if  I  were  to  die  to-day  it  would  be 
in  the  sure  and  certain  hope  of  a  blessed  immor 
tality,"  directly  adding  that  this  hope  was  based, 
not  on  any  personal  worthiness,  but  solely  on  his 
abiding  trust  in  the  Living  Redeemer. 

The  debt  of  gratitude  we  owe  our  departed 
friend  is  large  and  varied.  For  a  steady  influence 
in  favor  of  pure  and  wise  legislation  through 
three-and-twenty  years ;  for  a  ready  voice  in  be 
half  of  every  reform;  for  escape  from  financial 
disaster  on  more  than  one  occasion,  —  we  are  all 
his  debtors ;  but  most  for  the  quiet,  unheralded 
demonstration  that  no  official  place,  how  heavy 
soever  its  burdens,  need  prevent  one  from  being 
an  avowed,  consistent  Christian. 

That  such  a  life  should  end  nobly  on  earth  is 
only  natural  and  fitting.  To  disregard,  upon  the 
simple  sense  of  duty,  the  sharp  and  repeated 
warnings  of  a  mortal  disease ;  to  deliver  to  lead 
ing  and  representative  business  men  of  the  me 
tropolis  that  masterful  speech  which  summed  up 
his  knowledge  and  his  principles  of  finance  ;  to 
know  that  he  had  carried  his  auditor's  minds  and 
hearts,  and  to  feel  the  thrill  of  a  supreme  hour  in 
a  matured  life ;  and  then,  within  two  minutes  of 
uttering  his  last  word,  while  the  applause  is  still 
ringing  in  his  ears,  to  pass  beyond  earth's  vexed 
problems  into  the  peace  and  joy  of  immortality, 

-  this  is  not  death ;  this  is  translation  !  "  The 
chariot  of  Israel,  and  the  horsemen  thereof  !  " 


DR.  HAM  LIN'S  ADDRESS  33 

What  a  heritage,  not  only  for  the  nation  that 
mourns  to-day,  but  for  the  household  that  mourns 
with  a  nearer  and  deeper  sense  of  loss !  To  have 
partaken  of  a  life  so  pure,  so  useful,  so  beautiful ; 
to  have  only  bright  and  sweet  memories  of  every 
day ;  to  have  no  awful  questions  about  that  life's 
blissful  continuance  beyond  the  veil;  all  this 
means  grief  for  an  irreparable  loss,  but  no  mur 
muring,  no  despair.  It  means  the  right  to  take 
the  fullest  comfort  from  every  precious  promise 
of  God ;  to  look  away  from  the  tomb  into  the 
open  heavens.  Patriot,  legislator,  statesman ; 
loyal  citizen,  kind  neighbor,  faithful  friend ;  ten 
der  husband,  loving  father,  true  man,  devout 
Christian ;  until  the  day  break,  and  the  shadows 
flee  away,  hail  and  farewell ! 

Prayer  was  then  offered  as  follows :  — 

O  Lord  Jesus,  Thou  hast  brought  immortal  life  to 
light  through  the  Gospel,  Thou  hast  sent,  in  the  rise 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  brighter  beams  into  the 
tomb  than  are  shining  this  morning  into  this  sanctuary. 
Thou  hast,  through  the  rent  veil  of  Thy  flesh,  opened 
for  Thy  trusting  people  a  way  into  the  very  Holy  of 
Holies,  into  the  very  presence  of  God.  And  now  our 
brother  has  passed  through.  We  see  him  no  more; 
and  we  mourn  our  loss.  Help  us  to  be  unselfish 
enough,  help  us  to  be  keen-eyed  enough  in  faith,  to 
rejoice  in  his  perfected  glory,  his  infinite  joy.  Oh, 
3 


34  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

we  beseech  Thee,  Lord,  that  we  may  not  grovel  in  our 
thought  and  feeling  upon  the  earth  and  in  the  dust ; 
but  may  we  rise  superior  even  to  these  awful  clouds 
that  gather  above  us,  and  that  seem  to  put  out  the  very 
sun  in  the  heavens.  May  we  realize  that  we  are  just 
in  the  vestibule  of  immortality ;  that  our  friends  have 
passed  on  before,  and  that  we  are  following  them. 

Lord,  we  pray  for  Thy  comfort  to  come  to  this 
smitten  household  in  great  measure.  In  fuller  and 
deeper  significance  than  ever  before,  may  all  Thy  words 
of  promise  and  of  consolation  fall  upon  their  ears. 
May  they  be  able  to  hear  Thee  in  the  still  small  voice 
of  love,  without  one  thought  of  reproach  for  their 
tears,  without  one  thought  of  hardness  in  Thy  heart ; 
saying  unto  them,  "As  one  whom  his  mother  com- 
forteth,  so  will  I  comfort  thee."  Give  them  grace 
to  accept  comfort;  to  open  their  hearts  wide  to  the 
dear  Saviour ;  to  dismiss  any  doubt  or  fear,  any  un 
worthy  thought  of  him  that  hitherto  may  have  vexed 
and  troubled  them. 

We  ask  Thy  blessing,  Lord,  upon  all  that  mourn. 
We  pray  especially  for  those  who  have  been  associated 
with  our  departed  brother  in  the  high  places  of  official 
responsibility  in  the  land.  We  pray  for  Thy  servant, 
the  President,  and  for  all  the  members  of  the  Cabinet. 
May  they  be  able  to  find  in  God  and  in  Christ  the  con 
solation  and  strength,  the  wisdom  and  help,  that  in 
such  an  hour  as  this  they  so  greatly  need. 

We  pray  for  all  that  have  sat  beside  our  dear  friend 
in  the  halls  of  legislation.  We  beseech  Thee  that  they 
may  follow  Him  -as  he  followed  Christ.  We  entreat 


DR.  HAMLIN'S  ADDRESS  35 

that  upon  none  that  have  been  associated  with  him  in 
his  official  place  and  duty  there  may  be  lacking  the 
solemn,  blessed,  saving  impress  of  this  wondrous  trans 
lation  into  immortal  life.  Grant,  Lord,  that  each  one 
may  say,  "  I,  too,  must  be  ready  ;  I,  too,  will  leave  be 
hind  for  my  dear  ones  the  assurance  that  I  have  gone 
with  an  unfaltering  trust  in  the  living  Redeemer." 

And  so  will  the  Lord  bless  our  land.  As  one  and 
another  and  another  are  called  away,  raise  up  men, 
wise  and  true  and  pure  and  good,  to  take  the  vacant 
places  and  carry  on  the  work  that  has  slipped  from 
nerveless  fingers.  And  grant,  O  Lord,  Thou  God  of 
Nations,  Thou  King  of  Kings  and  Lord  of  Lords,  to 
rule  in  all  the  councils  of  our  land,  so  that  we  may  be 
indeed  Immanuel's  land. 

Wherever  in  distant  States,  wherever  in  other  cities 
there  is  to-day  the  same  grief  that  is  in  our  hearts ; 
wherever  there  are  emblems  of  mourning ;  wherever 
there  are  those  who  are  thinking  of  what  is  here  tran 
spiring,  —  we  pray  that  Thy  spirit  may  be  present,  and 
that  Thy  grace  may  be  sufficient  for  their  hearts. 

The  Lord  bless  this  church.  We  thank  Thee  for  all 
that  Thy  servant  was  here.  We  thank  Thee  for  all 
the  comfort  and  encouragement  and  help  that  he  has 
been  wont  to  give  to  his  pastor,  and  to  other  worshipers 
in  this  sanctuary.  Give  us  all  courage  to  do  the  right. 
Give  us  all  strength  and  wisdom.  Help  us  to  accom 
plish  our  work,  and  then  take  us  to  our  reward. 

Go  with  us,  we  pray  Thee,  O  Thou  blessed  Master, 
Thou  tender  Friend,  as  we  go  to  the  house  prepared 
for  all  the  living.  Be  with  us  as  we  deposit  this  dust, 


36  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

so  precious,  tenderly  in  the  earth.  Return  with  this 
household  to  their  darkened  home.  Grant,  we  pray 
Thee,  to  sustain  them  in  the  hardest  hours  that  are  yet 
to  come.  Make  good  by  Thine  own  presence  the  void 
in  their  hearts ;  and  grant  that  with  all  human  sym 
pathy,  which  flows  to  them  in  such  unlimited  measure, 
there  may  come  also  the  sympathy  of  God.  And  so, 
out  of  what  we  call  calamity ;  out  of  what  we  see  as 
disaster  ;  out  of  what  we  term  death,  —  may  life  and 
strength  and  victory  arise  for  us,  for  our  land,  and  for 
all  the  world. 

Our  Father,  who  art  in  Heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy 
name.  Thy  Kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth, 
as  it  is  in  heaven.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread. 
And  forgive  us  our  debts,  as  we  forgive  our  debtors. 
And  lead  us  not  into  temptation  ;  but  deliver  us  from 
evil :  for  Thine  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power,  and  the 
glory,  for  ever  and  ever. 

The  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understanding, 
keep  your  hearts  and  minds  through  Jesus  Christ ;  and 
the  blessing  of  God  Almighty,  the  Father,  and  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  in  and  remain  with  you  always. 
Amen. 


THE  following  Executive  Order  was  issued 
through  the  Secretary  of  State,  sent  to  the  heads 
of  the  several  departments,  and  promulgated  to 
the  army  in  General  Orders  by  command  of  Gen 
eral  Schofield :  — 

DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE,  WASHINGTON, 
January  30,  1891. 

SIR,  —  The  Honorable  William  Windom,  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  died  suddenly 
last  night  in  the  city  of  New  York  at  the  hour  of  eleven 
minutes  past  ten  o'clock,  in  the  64th  year  of  his  age. 

Thus  has  passed  away  a  man  of  pure  life,  an  official 
of  stainless  integrity,  distinguished  by  long  and  emi 
nent  service  in  both  branches  of  Congress,  and  by  be 
ing  twice  called  to  administer  the  national  finances. 
His  death  has  caused  deep  regret  throughout  the  coun 
try,  while  to  the  President  and  those  associated  with 
him  in  the  administration  of  the  Government  it  comes 
as  a  personal  sorrow.  The  President  directs  that  all 
the  departments  of  the  Executive  branch  of  the  Govern 
ment,  and  the  officers  subordinate  thereto,  shall  mani 
fest  due  respect  to  the  memory  of  this  eminent  citizen 
in  a  manner  consonant  with  the  dignity  of  the  office 
which  he  has  honored  by  his  devotion  to  public  duty. 
The  President  further  directs  that  the  Treasury  De- 


38  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

partment  in  all  its  branches  in  this  capital  be  draped 
in  mourning  for  the  period  of  thirty  days,  that  on  the 
day  of  the  funeral  the  several  Executive  departments 
shall  be  closed,  and  that  on  all  public  buildings  through 
out  the  United  States  the  national  flag  shall  be  dis. 
played  at  half  mast. 

Very  respectfully, 

JAMES  G.  ELAINE. 


Action  ftp  tfje  €too  ^ou£e£  of 


THE  following  is  the  press  account  of  the  pro 
ceedings  in  Congress  on  January  30th  :  — 

THE  CHAPLAIN'S  PRAYER. 

In  the  opening  prayer  in  the  Senate  the  sudden 
death  of  Secretary  Windom  was  thus  referred  to  by 
the  chaplain,  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Butler  :  — 

To  whom  can  we  come  but  to  Thee,  O  God,  under 
this  dark  cloud  ?  We  rejoice  that  death  does  not  end 
all.  We  pray  Thee  for  the  life  immortal  through 
Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Teach  us  so  to  live  before 
God,  obediently,  humbly,  prayerfully,  and  trustingly  ; 
so  to  live  before  men,  charitably,  kindly,  and  faithfully  ; 
that  death  may  be  to  us  but  sleep.  We  thank  Thee  for 
that  life  so  true,  so  pure,  so  useful,  so  long  preserved, 
so  good,  moulded  and  fashioned  by  faith  in  Christ. 

O  Lord,  hide  not  Thy  face  from  us  in  the  day  of 
trouble.  Look  mercifully  upon  and  deal  tenderly  with 
Thy  handmaiden,  and  with  that  family  now  in  great 
sorrow.  Sustain  and  strengthen  and  comfort  them, 
and  cause  faith  to  triumph  in  the  hour  of  greatest 
darkness,  Teach  us  so  to  live  day  by  day,  before 


40  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

God,  in  the  discharge  of  every  duty,  that,  when  we 
shall  be  called,  we  may  be  ready  to  die,  and  to  live 
where  they  die  no  more. 

CONGRESS   ADJOURNS. 

The  journal  of  yesterday  was  then  read,  and  as  soon 
as  the  reading  was  ended  Mr.  Morrill  rose,  and,  in  a 
voice  tremulous  with  emotion,  said :  "  In  consequence 
of  the  recent  calamity  which  has  visited  us  in  the  sud 
den  decease  of  a  former  eminent  member  of  this  body 
and  a  distinguished  officer  of  the  Government,  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  I  move  that  the  Senate  do 
now  adjourn." 

The  motion  was  agreed  to,  and  the  Senate  adjourned 
till  to-morrow  at  11  A.  M. 

SADNESS    IN   THE    SENATE. 

There  was  a  feeling  of  profound  sadness  in  the  Sen 
ate  this  morning  when  the  Senators,  already  apprised 
of  the  death  of  their  old-time  colleague,  gathered  to 
listen  to  the  eloquent  words  of  the  Chaplain. 

Although  a  number  of  years  have  passed  since  Mr. 
Windom  sat  in  the  Senate,  the  membership  of  that 
body  changes  so  slowly  that  there  are  still  many  Sena 
tors  who  were  his  colleagues,  and  upon  whom  his  death 
falls  as  a  personal  loss. 

The  expressions  of  regret  at  his  demise  were  far 
from  perfunctory,  and  were  characterized  by  the  ring 
of  genuine  feeling.  As  Senator  and  Chairman  of  the 
Appropriations  Committee,  Mr.  Windom  had  it  in  his 
power  to  do  many  kind  offices  to  other  Senators,  and 


ACTION  OF  THE  TWO  HOUSES   OF  CONGRESS  41 

that  these  were  never  refused  to  his  colleagues  is  evi 
denced  by  the  testimony  that  is  volunteered  by  Senators 
on  both  sides  of  the  chamber. 

So,  too,  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  during  two 
administrations,  he  necessarily  maintained  in  large 
measure  his  intimacy  with  his  old  colleagues,  and  his 
official  relations  with  them  were  always  characterized 
by  geniality,  delicate  consideration,  and  uprightness. 

This  is  the  substance  of  the  expression  of  many  Sen 
ators.  Some  of  them  are  well-known  opponents  of 
principles  that  were  dear  to  Secretary  Windom ;  some 
were  his  political  antagonists ;  but  there  were  none  who 
failed  to  add  their  tribute  to  his  personal  character, 
and  to  speak  in  terms  of  highest  praise  of  his  signal 
ability  as  a  business  man  and  financial  officer. 

The  feeling  was  general  that  his  death  has  caused  a 
gap  in  the  Cabinet  that  cannot  be  easily  filled,  and  that 
the  President  would  have  a  difficult  task  to  replace  an 
adviser  whose  great  ability  as  a  financier,  and  deep  in 
sight  into  the  motives  and  methods  of  legislators  and 
business  men,  made  his  services  well-nigh  indispensable 
in  trying  times  of  financial  stress. 

IN   THE   HOUSE    OF   REPRESENTATIVES. 

An  air  of  sadness  pervaded  the  Hall  of  Represen 
tatives  this  morning,  and  the  prayer  of  the  Chaplain 
was  listened  to  with  unusual  intentness. 

O  God  our  Father,  [he  said,]  stricken  and  over 
whelmed  with  sorrow,  we  come  before  Thee  with  the 
startling  sense  of  the  instant  death  of  a  chief  ex 
ecutive  officer  of  the  nation,  whose  public  service  has 


42  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

been  memorable  and  beneficent,  whose  devotion  to  the 
welfare  of  the  commonwealth  has  been  conspicuous, 
whose  sweet  and  beautiful  character  as  husband,  father, 
friend,  citizen,  and  gentleman  has  been  his  highest 
crown. 

As  the  sobs  of  his  broken-hearted  wife  and  children 
in  their  darkened  home  come  to  our  hearts,  awakening 
in  us  the  profoundest  sympathy,  we  pray  that  Thy 
pitying  love  may  descend  to  console  them,  and  Thy 
good  providence  succor  and  provide  for  them.  Grant 
that  this  startling  event  may  bring  home  to  us  the  sol 
emn  sense  that  in  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death. 

So  let  the  grasp  of  the  world  on  us  be  loosened,  and 
our  thoughts  be  lifted  to  things  that  are  imperishable 
and  divine ;  and  may  we  turn  our  steps  to  the  paths  of 
virtue,  piety,  and  godliness,  that  whenever  our  sum 
mons  shall  come  we  shall  pass  from  these  scenes  to  our 
eternal  rest  at  Thy  right  hand,  through  Jesus  Christ. 
Amen. 

RESOLUTIONS    OF   RESPECT. 

The  journal  having  been  approved,  Mr.  McKinley, 
of  Ohio,  rose  and  offered  the  following  resolution  :  — 

Resolved,  That  the  House  of  Representatives  has 
heard  with  profound  sorrow  of  the  death  of  the  Hon. 
William  Windom,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  who  for 
ten  years  was  a  member  of  this  body,  and  for  twelve 
years  a  member  of  the  Senate. 

Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  nine  Representatives 
be  appointed  by  the  Speaker  to  join  such  committee  as 
may  be  appointed  by  the  Senate  to  attend  the  funeral 
of  the  late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  on  behalf  of 


ACTION  OF  TEE  TWO  HOUSES  OF  CONGRESS  43 

Congress,  and  to  take  such  other  action  as  may  be 
proper  in  honor  of  the  memory  of  the  deceased,  and 
as  the  appreciation  of  Congress  of  his  public  services. 

The  resolutions,  seconded  by  Mr.  Dunnell,  of  Min 
nesota,  were  unanimously  adopted,  and  "as  a  further 
mark  of  respect,"  on  the  motion  of  Mr.  McKinley 
the  House  immediately  adjourned. 


3tttion  of  rtje 


AT  a  meeting  of  the  officials  of  the  Treasury 
Department,  Mr.  Windom's  late  associates  and 
subordinates,  held  on  the  31st  of  January,  1891, 
Assistant  Secretary  O.  L.  Spaulding  presiding, 
the  following  expression  was  presented  by  Assist 
ant  Secretary  A.  B.  Nettleton,  and  amid  deep 
feeling  unanimously  adopted  by  a  rising  vote  :  — 

The  sudden  death  of  the  Hon.  William  Windom, 
late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  in  the  height  of  his 
powers  and  the  fullness  of  his  usefulness  and  fame, 
brings  to  us  in  common  with  all  his  countrymen  a  sense 
of  irreparable  loss. 

A  man  who,  from  humble  beginnings,  reached  and 
held  a  noble  eminence,  without  forgetting  the  interests 
of  the  humble  ;  a  citizen  who  through  thirty  years  in 
exalted  public  station  proved  that  political  activity  and 
success  are  compatible  with  a  pure  and  reverent  life  ; 
a  vigorous  partisan  who  never  placed  his  party's  in 
terest  before  his  country's  welfare;  a  statesman  and 
patriot  who  with  clear  vision  and  splendid  courage 
steadily  refused  to  sacrifice  enduring  principles  to 
ephemeral  success,  —  the  name  and  memory  of  Wil 
liam  Windom  need  no  monument. 

For  ten  years  a  representative  in  Congress,  twelve 
years  in  the  United  States  Senate,  twice  called  to  ad- 


ACTION  OF  THE   TREASURY  DEPARTMENT     45 

minister  the  finances  of  the  nation,  —  in  all  these  posi 
tions  of  honor,  trust,  and  influence  he  easily  ranked 
among  the  natural  leaders  of  men,  rendered  services 
to  his  country  and  his  time  which  few  have  equaled, 
and  left  a  record  without  a  stain. 

To  the  officers  and  employees  of  the  great  depart 
ment  of  which  at  his  death  he  was  the  honored  head, 
this  event  comes  with  the  force  of  a  private  and  pecu 
liar  grief.  While  he  was  officially  our  chief,  he  caused 
us  to  feel  that  he  was  much  more  our  associate,  co- 
worker,  and  friend.  With  a  sweetness  of  spirit  which 
never  wearied,  there  was  allied  in  him  a  quiet  firmness 
which  none  could  misunderstand,  and  which  revealed 
the  rounded  strength  of  a  great  character.  His  in 
stinctive  sense  of  justice,  which  was  never  clouded  by 
interest  or  warped  by  prejudice,  permitted  no  subordi 
nate  to  ask  a  second  time  for  the  redress  of  a  real 
grievance. 

With  the  sense  of  public  and  personal  bereavement 
inseparable  from  the  loss  of  such  a  man  and  statesman, 
it  remains  a  consoling  thought  that  the  manner  of  his 
departure  was  permitted  to  be  such  as  the  greatest  and 
best  might  desire,  and  such  as  must  emphasize  in  the 
minds  of  men  the  memory  of  his  distinguished  life  and 
work. 

To  Mrs.  Windom,  the  worthy  companion  of  our  de 
parted  chief  and  friend,  and  to  the  stricken  group  at 
her  fireside,  we  tender  a  sympathy  born  of  a  common 
sorrow.  The  memory  of  such  a  husband  and  father  is 
a  precious  inheritance  for  his  family,  as  the  memory 
and  career  of  such  a  patriot  is  a  priceless  legacy  to  his 
country. 


Action  of  tfje  fl^hme^ota 


ON  learning  of  the  death  of  Secretary  Windom, 
the  Legislature  of  Minnesota,  then  in  session, 
adjourned  over  from  Friday  until  Monday  out  of 
respect  to  his  memory.  In  seconding  the  resolu 
tion  of  adjournment  in  the  State  Senate,  the  Hon. 
Ignatius  Donnelly  spoke  as  follows  :  — 

MR.  PRESIDENT,  —  I  rise  to  second  the  motion  just 
made,  that  the  Senate  adjourn  until  Monday  out  of 
respect  to  the  late  Mr.  Windom.  It  is  a  fit  and  proper 
expression  by  this  body  of  the  profound  feeling  with 
which  the  people  of  our  State  have  heard  of  Mr.  Win- 
dom's  unexpected  death.  He  was  our  representative 
in  the  national  administration,  and  filled  a  large  and 
important  place  in  the  government  of  our  country. 
The  nation  will  grieve  for  his  departure,  and  it  is  but 
right  and  just  that  the  State  of  his  adoption,  which  so 
often  honored  him,  should  not  remain  silent  in  the 
presence  of  his  open  grave.  We  are  told  that  — 

"  All  who  live  must  die, 
Passing  through  nature  to  eternity." 

We  carry  within  us,  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave, 


ACTION  OF  THE  MINNESOTA  LEGISLATURE  47 

the  seeds  of  dissolution.  In  some  sense  Mr.  Windom's 
death  in  the  midst  of  that  brilliant  banquet  scene,  his 
lips  yet  warm  with  his  own  eloquence,  and  his  ears 
still  ringing  with  the  plaudits  of  one  of  the  greatest 
assemblages  possible  in  our  country,  was  a  fitting 
close  for  the  most  uninterruptedly  successful  career 
ever  known  in  the  history  of  the  United  States.  He 
fell  uttering  words  of  wisdom  and  inspiration  to  his 
countrymen,  as  the  leader  dies  amid  the  clangor  and 
uproar  of  the  forefront  of  battle.  It  may  be  that  the 
silence  of  the  death  chamber,  amid  the  ministrations 
of  the  beloved  and  the  consolations  of  religion,  would 
have  been  more  in  accordance  with  the  Christian's  be 
lief  and  hopes,  but  the  great  political  leader  has  de 
parted  in  the  midst  of  the  very  glory,  beauty,  and  tri 
umph  of  life.  "Like  the  stag  sunstruck,"  he  "tops 
the  bounds  and  dies." 

Mr.  Windom  may  not  be  accounted  by  the  historian 
one  of  the  preeminent  men  of  our  generation,  but  he 
was  nevertheless  a  very  able  and  capable  man.  His 
sagacity  was  unerring,  his  practical  wisdom  great ;  his 
intuition  keen.  In  political  life  he  advanced  so 
smoothly  that  he  seemed  to  have  solved  the  problem 
of  motion  without  friction.  His  nature  was  noble. 
His  heart  was  kindly.  There  was  very  little  of  mal 
ice  in  his  composition.  The  fierceness  and  ferocity  of 
party  strife  did  not  take  hold  upon  him. 

He  was  identified  with  the  most  important  part  of 
our  national  life  at  a  time  when  the  history  of  the  na 
tion  transcended  in  importance  all  the  previous  records 
of  civilized  man.  He  bore  himself  honorably  and 


48  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

conspicuously  in  this  great  era.  His  record  is  part  of 
the  imperishable  heritage  of  our  State.  It  cannot  be 
ignored  or  forgotten.  We  lament  his  loss.  We  ad 
vance  and  place  upon  his  bier  the  wreath  of  remem 
brance  wet  with  tears. 

On  reassembling,  February  2d,  the  two  houses 
of  the  Legislature  unanimously  adopted  the  fol 
lowing 

RESOLUTIONS. 

WHEREAS,  in  the  sad  and  unexpected  death  of  the 
Hon.  William  Windom,  late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
of  the  United  States,  our  nation  has  lost  a  wise,  con 
servative  counselor,  our  State  a  distinguished  and  val 
ued  citizen,  and  the  family  of  the  deceased  a  kind  and 
affectionate  husband  and  father ;  and, 

WHEREAS,  it  seems  eminently  fitting,  and  the  peo 
ple  of  this  his  adopted  State  through  their  legislature 
desire,  while  the  nation  in  sorrow  bears  his  remains  to 
the  grave,  to  give  formal  expression  to  their  profound 
grief  on  account  of  this  their  irreparable  loss,  —  there 
fore  be  it 

Resolved,  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Minne 
sota,  that  not  only  as  a  faithful  citizen  and  a  friend  of 
our  State,  to  whose  interests  he  has  ever  been  sincerely 
devoted,  and  in  whose  prosperity  and  welfare  he  has 
always  rejoiced,  but  still  more  in  his  capacity  as  a 
statesman,  in  the  glory  of  whose  achievements  the  na 
tion  is  justly  proud,  do  the  people  of  Minnesota  deeply 
mourn  his  loss. 


ACTION  OF  THE  MINNESOTA  LEGISLATURE    49 

Resolved,  That  it  is  no  idle  or  feigned  tribute  to  his 
memory  to  say,  that  Mr.  Windom,  thus  peremptorily 
called  into  eternity  while  in  the  maturity  of  his  intel 
lectual  powers,  at  the  pinnacle  of  the  most  uninterrupt 
edly  successful  career  known  in  the  history  of  his  coun 
try,  with  his  last  breath  uttering  words  of  wisdom  and 
counsel  to  his  fellow-men,  and  amid  the  plaudits  of  a 
nation,  has  reflected  honor  upon  our  State  in  a  preemi 
nent  degree,  and  thus  the  poignancy  of  our  sorrow  as 
citizens  is  in  keeping  with  the  great  loss  the  nation  has 
sustained  in  his  untimely  death. 

Resolved,  That  to  the  bereaved  family  of  the  distin 
guished  dead  the  people  of  the  State  of  Minnesota  beg 
leave  to  tender  the  assurance  of  their  profoundest 
sympathy  and  condolence  in  this  their  great  affliction  ; 
and,  that  this  may  be  done  in  due  form,  the  secretary 
of  the  Senate  is  hereby  instructed  upon  the  adoption  of 
these  resolutions  to  transmit  them  to  the  Governor, 
who  is  hereby  requested  to  sign  and  forward  an  en 
grossed  copy  of  the  same  to  the  family  of  the  deceased. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  the  foregoing  resolutions 
be  spread  upon  the  journal  of  the  Senate  and  House  of 
this  day. 

WILLIAM  R.  MERRIAM,  Governor. 

G.  S.  INES,  President  of  the  Senate. 
F.  N.  VAN  DUZEE,  Secretary  of  the  Senate. 

E.  F.  CHAMPLIN,  Speaker  of  the  House. 
P.  J.  SMALLEY,  Chief  Clerk  of  the  House. 

ST.  PAUL,  MINN.,  February  2, 1891. 
4 


50  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

REMARKS  OF   SENATOR   TAWNEY. 

In  addressing  the  Senate  upon  the  foregoing 
resolutions,  Senator  Tawney  of  Winona  said  :  — 

MR.  PRESIDENT,  —  It  is  with  no  ordinary  interest 
that  the  people  of  Minnesota  contemplate  the  scene  that 
is  transpiring  in  Washington  to-day. 

The  national  government  is  arrested  in  its  wonted 
activities.  There  is  silence  in  the  halls  of  legislation. 
The  departments  are  closed.  There  is  a  hush  upon  the 
streets.  Emblems  of  bereavement  are  everywhere 
seen.  Men  walk  softly  and  speak  in  whispers,  as  the 
solemn  pageant  passes  by. 

»••  The  government's  chief  financial  officer  has  passed 
away ;  Windom  is  gone ;  his  mortal  remains  are  now 
being  borne  to  their  last  resting  place ;  and  the  nation 
mourns. 

But  while  by  these  tokens  the  whole  American  peo 
ple  express  their  high  appreciation  of  the  departed 
statesman  and  their  great  loss  in  his  death,  it  is  to  the 
people  of  Minnesota  that  the  sense  of  bereavement 
comes  with  greatest  poignancy. 

The  nation  will  fondly  cherish  the  recollection  of  his 
triumphant  career  and  his  distinguished  services,  but 
the  heritage  of  his  fame  belongs  especially  to  Minne 
sota.  This  was  the  State  of  his  adoption,  and  upon 
this  State,  in  a  peculiar  sense,  did  he  shed  the  lustre 
of  his  great  achievement.  He  became  a  citizen  of 
Minnesota  in  his  early  and  unknown  manhood.  By 
its  people  was  he  sent  to  the  national  Congress  for 
ten  successive  years ;  by  its  legislature  was  he  twice 


ACTION  OF  THE  MINNESOTA  LEGISLATURE   51 

honored  with  a  place  in  the  national  Senate ;  as  the 
representative  of  this  State  he  held  a  most  important 
position  in  the  councils  of  two  administrations,  and 
as  an  adopted  and  honored  son  of  Minnesota  his  love 
and  loyalty  were  warm  and  constant  and  true. 

But  I  am  not  to  forget  that  the  people  whom  I 
represent  in  this  Senate  are  the  people  amongst  whom 
he  had  his  home,  the  only  home  he  had  in  our  State. 
It  was  there  that  the  qualities  of  his  manhood  were 
most  closely  observed  and  most  intimately  known,  and 
there  that  the  shock  of  his  sudden  departure  is  most 
keenly  felt.  To  say  that  he  was  without  fault  would 
be  to  say  that  he  was  not  human.  But  that  he  was 
endowed  with  a  combination  of  most  eminent  and  en 
nobling  characteristics,  both  intellectual  and  moral,  is 
shown  in  his  illustrious  career.  He  possessed  a  mind 
capable  of  dealing  with  great  subjects.  He  rose  to  the 
dignity  and  requirements  of  every  position  he  was 
called  upon  to  fill.  Of  every  task  committed  to  his 
hands  he  made  himself  the  master.  There  was  a  power 
of  concentration,  of  analysis,  of  unflagging  persistence, 
that  drove  down  to  the  roots  of  things.  He  did  not 
dwell  amid  superficial  details.  His  thought  reached 
after  and  took  hold  of  principles.  Hence  his  profound 
convictions,  in  the  firm  and  constant  maintenance  of 
which  he  was  both  conscientious  and  consistent.  Yet, 
however  strenuous  his  advocacy,  or  with  whatever  force 
of  repulsion  he  met  the  attacks  of  opposition,  there  was 
in  it  all  a  breath  of  manhood,  a  nobility  of  bearing,  a 
kindliness  and  liberality  of  spirit,  that  won  the  admira 
tion  even  of  those  who  differed  from  him. 


52  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

The  genial  warmth  of  his  social  nature,  the  ready 
sympathy  with  which  he  extended  the  hand  of  greet 
ing  or  of  help  toward  the  toiler  and  the  needy,  his 
generous  reciprocation  of  the  friendship  even  of  the 
lowly,  his  conspicuous  honesty  in  all  the  relations  of 
life,  the  elevation  and  purity  of  his  mind  and  purposes, 
—  these  all  conspired  to  endear  him  as  a  man  and  citi 
zen  to  those  who  knew  him  best. 

His  sudden  and  almost  tragic  end,  though  it  greatly 
intensified  the  shock  of  his  departure,  is  hardly  to  be 
regarded  as  a  misfortune.  No  evening  shadows  were 
permitted  to  gather  upon  his  unclouded  life.  He  was 
spared  the  feeling  of  departing  strength  and  waning 
influence.  But  at  noontide,  and  from  one  of  the  sun 
niest  heights  of  earthly  eminence,  he  was  permitted 
to  pass  through  the  veil,  beyond  the  shadows,  into  the 
brighter  realm  of  the  hereafter. 

And  if  in  the  name  of  my  constituents  —  the  neigh 
bors  and  friends  of  the  departed,  who  knew  him  and 
loved  him  —  I  may  place  in  the  wreath  that  surrounds 
his  illustrious  name  one  flower,  leaf,  or  spray,  it  will  be 
a  small  memento  of  their  sincere  and  unfeigned  affec 
tion. 


AT  a  meeting  of  the  Minnesota  Senators  and 
Kepresentatives,  and  of  the  citizens  of  Minnesota 
resident  and  sojourning  in  Washington,  held  at 
the  rooms  of  the  Senate  Committee  on  Pensions 
to  take  appropriate  action  respecting  the  memory 
of  the  late  Hon.  William  Windom,  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  it  was  — 

Resolved,  That  we  received  with  heartfelt  sorrow 
the  intelligence  of  the  death  of  Mr.  Windom,  who  was 
stricken  suddenly  in  the  performance  of  duty,  in  the 
full  enjoyment  of  his  faculties,  at  the  summit  of  a 
great  career,  in  which  he  reflected  honor  upon  the 
State  of  Minnesota  and  the  nation  for  more  than  thirty 
years  as  Member  of  Congress,  as  Senator,  and  as  Cabi 
net  Minister. 

That  we  extend  to  his  widow  and  family  our  tender- 
est  condolence  for  their  irreparable  bereavement. 

That  the  delegation  in  Congress,  and  citizens  of  Min 
nesota  resident  or  sojourning  in  Washington,  will  in  a 
body  attend  the  funeral  of  the  deceased  statesman, 
friend,  and  neighbor. 

That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  sent  to  Mrs. 
Windom  by  Senator  Davis,  the  chairman  of  this  meet 
ing. 


NEW  YORK,  January  30,  1891. 
AT  a  special  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trade 
and  Transportation,  the  following  resolutions  were 
unanimously  adopted,  and  a  committee  of  fifteen 
was  appointed  to  attend  the  funeral  of  the  late 
Secretary  in  Washington :  — 

William  Windom,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  died 
while  our  guest,  and  just  as  he  had  spoken  to  us  words 
of  weighty  wisdom  and  true  courage.  It  is,  therefore, 
peculiarly  fitting  that  this  Board  should  express  the 
deep  sense  of  the  business  men  of  New  York  of  the 
services  which  he  has  rendered  to  the  Republic,  and 
of  the  personal  loss  that  so  many  of  us  have  sustained 
in  his  sudden  death. 

At  the  organization  of  our  Board  he  was  our  associ 
ate  and  adviser.  During  all  our  existence  he  has  been 
our  faithful  friend  and  helper. 

The  New  York  Board  of  Trade  and  Transportation 
places  this  minute  upon  its  records  in  honor  of  a  good 
citizen,  a  wise  man,  and  an  honest  and  brave  official. 

For  more  than  thirty  years  William  Windom  has 
been  prominent  in  American  public  life.  Long  service 
in  the  national  House  of  Representatives,  repeated 
terms  in  the  federal  Senate,  and  the  Secretaryship  of 
the  Treasury  under  Presidents  Garfield  and  Harrison, 


NEW   YORK  BOARD   OF  TRADE  55 

had  combined  to  give  him  rare  opportunities  to  know 
the  needs,  appreciate  the  growth,  and  estimate  the  pos 
sibilities  of  the  nation.  He  used  these  opportunities 
wisely  and  well.  During  the  entire  Civil  War  he  was 
the  trusted  friend  and  adviser  of  President  Lincoln. 
As  a  Representative  and  Senator  he  favored  all  meas 
ures  that  looked  toward  the  practical  and  efficient  devel 
opment  of  our  great  internal  resources.  As  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  under  President  Garfield  he  success 
fully  refunded  the  maturing  national  debt  by  methods 
so  simple,  so  economical,  and  so  masterful  as  to  prove 
him  a  truly  great  financier,  a  worthy  successor  to  Ham 
ilton,  Chase,  and  Sherman.  As  Secretary  under  Presi 
dent  Harrison  he  labored  courageously  and  successfully 
to  avert  widespread  panic  in  a  season  of  threatened 
financial  trouble. 

He  died  speaking  earnest  and  strong  words  against 
the  madness  of  free  coinage  of  silver  under  existing 
financial  conditions.  He  fell  at  the  post  of  duty  as 
truly  as  a  soldier  falls  on  the  field  of  battle. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  this  minute  be  transmitted 
to  the  family  of  the  deceased,  and  to  the  President  and 
members  of  the  Cabinet. 


AT  a  meeting  held  February  12,  1891,  the 
Union  League  Club  of  New  York  unanimously 
adopted  the  following 

RESOLUTIONS. 

Resolved,  That  the  members  of  the  Union  League 
Club,  in  common  with  their  fellow-citizens,  recognize  the 
great  loss  which  the  American  people  have  suffered  by 
the  death  of  William  Windom,  the  late  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury. 

Resolved,  That  the  career  of  this  eminent  public 
man  is  contemplated  with  pride  and  satisfaction  by  all 
who  appreciate  that  which  constitutes  the  highest  real 
ization  of  that  type  of  American  citizenship  which  ex 
ercises  the  wisest  and  most  wholesome  influence  in  shap 
ing  the  careers  and  directing  the  aspirations  of  those 
who  are  to  participate  in  the  legislative  as  well  as  the 
administrative  functions  of  government. 

Resolved,  That  it  is  peculiarly  fitting  that  the  Union 
League  Club  should  give  expression  to  the  esteem  in 
which  the  statesman  and  the  man  are  held  by  an  insti 
tution  which  owes  so  much  of  the  accomplishment  of 
the  work  it  has  undertaken  to  perform  in  the  public 
behalf  to  the  cooperation,  sympathy,  intelligence  and 
moral  firmness  of  public  men  of  the  class  of  which 


UNION  LEAGUE   CLUB  57 

William  Windom  was  one  of  the  noblest  and  strongest 
exponents.  Few  men  in  public  life  had  so  wide  an 
experience  or  so  thorough  a  training,  and  no  man  in 
public  life  was  more  ready  or  willing  to  sympathize 
with  and  promote  whatever  was  for  the  general  weal. 

The  ripe  experience,  ample  knowledge,  and  wide  ob 
servation  acquired  by  an  unusually  long  and  varied  ex 
perience  in  the  legislative  and  administrative  branches 
of  the  national  government,  enabled  him  to  render  ser 
vices  of  an  invaluable  nature  to  the  commercial  and 
financial  interests  of  the  country.  At  the  head  of  the 
Finance  Committee  of  the  Senate  and  as  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  he  was  never  carried  away  by  unreason 
ing  popular  clamor.  His  conciliatory  temper,  united  to 
firmness  of  character  and  thorough  knowledge  of  the 
questions  with  which  he  was  required  to  deal,  rendered 
his  services  of  inestimable  value  where  conflicting  inter 
ests  were  involved. 

The  Union  League  Club  and  the  city  of  New  York 
have  a  right  to  pay  and  do  pay  homage  to  the  mem 
ory  of  William  Windom  ;  and  the  American  people, 
above  all,  should  revere  his  name  on  account  of  the 
purity  of  his  life,  the  loftiness  of  his  aims,  and  the 
conscientiousness  and  thoroughness  of  the  work  that 
he  performed. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  this  testimonial  be  trans 
mitted  to  the  family  of  the  deceased,  and  to  the  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States. 

CHAUNCEY  M.  DEPEW,  President. 
J.  S.  PAGE,  Secretary. 


THE  following  press  telegram  states  the  action 
taken  by  the  business  men  at  Mr.  Windom's  Min 
nesota  home :  — 

WINONA,  MINK.,  January  30. 

It  was  with  great  sorrow  on  the  part  of  the  citizens 
of  Winona,  the  old  home  of  Secretary  Windom,  that 
the  news  of  his  death  was  received  in  this  city  this 
morning.  Flags  were  placed  at  half-mast,  and  draped 
portraits  of  the  deceased  Secretary  were  displayed  in 
the  windows  of  business  houses.  A  special  meeting  of 
the  Board  of  Trade  was  held  this  evening,  at  which 
the  following  resolutions  were  passed  :  — 

WHEREAS,  the  members  of  this  Board  of  Trade 
and  the  citizens  of  Winona  in  general,  have  learned 
with  profound  grief  of  the  sudden  and  unexpected 
death  of  their  fellow-member  and  fellow-townsman, 
William  Windom,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  ;  and, 

WHEREAS,  some  formal  expression  by  this  body 
concerning  an  event  so  startling  and  sad  seems  espe 
cially  appropriate,  —  therefore 

Resolved,  That  not  only  as  a  member  of  this  Board, 
nor  as  an  eminent  citizen  of  Winona  and  of  the  State, 
to  whose  interests  he  has  ever  been  sincerely  devoted 
and  over  whose  welfare  he  always  rejoiced,  but  still 


MEMORIAL  RESOLUTIONS  59 

more  in  his  capacity  as  a  statesman,  of  whose  brilliant 
achievements  the  nation  is  justly  proud,  do  we  mourn 
his  loss  to-day.  It  is  no  idle  or  feigned  tribute  to  his 
memory  to  say  that  Mr.  Windom,  thus  suddenly  cut 
down  in  the  very  maturity  of  his  intellectual  power  and 
in  the  midst  of  a  career  of  unsurpassed  public  useful 
ness,  has  reflected  honor  upon  the  city  and  State  of  his 
adoption  in  a  preeminent  degree,  and  that  the  poig 
nancy  of  our  sorrow  as  his  friends  and  as  citizens  of 
Minnesota  is  in  keeping  with  the  extent  of  the  great 
loss  which  the  nation  sustains  in  his  untimely  death. 

Resolved,  That  to  the  bereaved  family  of  the  distin 
guished  dead  we  beg  leave  to  tender  the  assurance  of 
our  profoundest  sympathy  and  condolence  in  their  ter 
rible  affliction,  and,  that  this  may  be  done  in  due  form, 
the  secretary  of  this  Board  is  requested  to  communi 
cate  with  Mrs.  Windom  and  furnish  her  with  a  copy  of 
these  resolutions. 

Resolved,  That  the  rooms  of  this  Board,  of  which 
body  the  late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  has  been  a 
member  from  its  organization  until  his  death,  be  suita 
bly  draped  in  mourning  for  the  period  of  thirty  days. 

The  Ohio  Society  of  New  York  took  action  re 
garding  the  death  of  Mr.  Windom  by  adopting 
the  following  resolutions,  and  appointing  a  com 
mittee  of  twelve  to  represent  the  Society  at  his 
funeral :  — 

Resolved,  That  this  Society  has  taken  affectionate 
pride  in  the  distinguished  and  valuable  career  of  the 


60  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  William  Windom,  be 
ing  interested  in  him  both  from  his  connection  with 
this  Society  and  as  a  native  of  Ohio, 

Resolved,  That  our  admiration  of  his  public  services 
has  been  quickened  by  personal  esteem,  and  by  the 
charm  of  his  personal  acquaintance. 

Resolved,  That  to  our  sorrow  at  his  loss  is  added 
our  profound  sympathy  with  his  family,  whose  loss  our 
knowledge  of  him  enables  us  to  appreciate,  and  to 
whom  we  beg  leave  to  extend  our  sincere  consolation 
and  to  report  this  tribute  to  his  worth. 

Resolved,  That  a  copy  of  these  resolutions  be  for 
warded  to  the  family. 

The  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  at  its 
regular  monthly  meeting,  held  February  5,  1891, 
suspended  the  ordinary  business  and  adopted  reso 
lutions  expressive  of  its  "  deep  sense  of  the  loss 
the  nation  has  sustained  "  in  the  death  of  Mr. 
Windom.  Touching  tributes  were  paid  to  his 
memory  by  the  President  of  the  Chamber,  Mr. 
Charles  S.  Smith,  and  others. 

In  seconding  the  resolutions  Mr.  J.  Edward 
Simmons  said : — 

Mr.  Windom  was  a  statesman  of  rare  and  rich  at 
tainments,  strengthened  by  a  long  and  faithful  service 
to  his  country.  Dignified  in  all  the  relations  of  life, 
honored  alike  for  his  unsullied  character  by  his  politi 
cal  associates  and  by  those  with  whom  he  differed  on 


MEMORIAL   RESOLUTIONS  61 

political  and  economic  questions,  he  brought  to  the 
great  office  of  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  the  mature 
wisdom  gained  by  a  long  and  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  needs  of  the  people.  He  was  discreet  in  the 
discharge  of  his  official  duty,  and  there  was  a  general 
confidence  in  his  ability  and  integrity  that  inspired  a 
feeling  of  security  on  the  part  of  men  especially  promi 
nent  in  all  the  activities  of  finance,  trade  and  com 
merce.  In  the  midst  of  a  career  of  usefulness,  with 
mighty  responsibilities  resting  upon  him,  at  a  time 
when  questions  of  momentous  importance  engrossed 
the  public  mind,  just  as  he  had  announced  his  views 
with  all  the  vigor  of  intelligent  thought  and  with 
prophetic  warning  on  the  great  financial  and  economic 
questions  of  the  day,  his  heart  ceased  to  beat,  and 
around  his  bier  a  nation  gathers  in  tender  sympathy 
with  the  bereaved,  and  in  profound  grief  that  an  emi 
nent  citizen  of  the  Republic  has  been  removed  from  the 
high  trust  which  he  adorned.  William  Windom,  the 
statesman,  the  patriot,  the  Christian,  —  an  illustration 
of  the  living  power  of  a  noble  faith  in  the  loftiest  walks 
of  political  labor,  —  has  laid  aside  the  armor  he  wore  in 
the  conflict,  brighter  for  its  service  in  his  public  and 
private  life,  to  wear  the  crown  of  the  conqueror. 
Faithful  to  duty,  faithful  to  his  convictions,  faithful  to 
friendship,  faithful  in  all  things,  his  life  is  a  lesson 
and  its  close  a  public  loss. 

Mr.  Charles  Watrous  said :] — 
MR.  PRESIDENT,  — I  do  not  propose  to  allude  to 
the   public   life   of    Mr.  Windom  and  his  great   ser- 


62  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

vices  to  the  country,  for  they  are  matters  of  history 
with  which  all  in  this  Chamber  are  familiar,  but  to 
his  private  and  domestic  life,  for  it  was  there  I  knew 
him  best. 

His  affability,  gentleness  and  kindness  to  all  who 
had  the  privilege  of  being  admitted  to  his  family  cir 
cle,  as  well  as  to  those  with  whom  he  had  intercourse  in 
official  life,  showed  that  he  possessed  a  sweetness  of 
nature  rarely  if  ever  equaled.  .  .  . 

He  was  most  loving  and  indulgent  in  all  his  domes 
tic  relations  ;  an  earnest,  devout,  consistent,  self-forget 
ful  and  Christian  gentleman. 

In  his  death  the  country  has  lost  a  great  man,  and  the 
church,  society,  and  all  the  virtues  that  help  to  form 
our  civilization  have  been  deprived  of  an  able  advo 
cate  and  an  uncompromising  defender. 

Resolutions  similar  in  tenor  to  the  foregoing 
were  adopted  by  the  following  legislative  and 
civic  bodies:  — 

Legislature  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
Pennsylvania  General  Assembly. 
Philadelphia  Custom  House. 
Baltimore  Custom  House. 
Mercantile  Exchange  of  New  York. 
Legislature  of  the  State  of  Indiana. 
German  Society  of  New  York. 
Minneapolis  Board  of  Trade. 
Legislature  of  the  State  of  Maine. 
Representatives  in  Washington  of  Banking  In 
terests. 


MEMORIAL  RESOLUTIONS  63 

Supervising  Inspectors  of  Steam  Vessels  for 
the  Port  of  Philadelphia. 

Representatives  in  New  York  of  Banking  In 
terests. 

Legislature  of  the  State  of  Nebraska. 

Winona  Savings  Bank. 

Legislature  of  the  State  of  Texas. 

Supervising  Inspectors  of  Steam  Vessels  in  the 
Port  of  Baltimore. 

Citizens  of  St.  Cloud  (Minn.). 

Unconditional  Republican  Club  of  New  York. 

Bethany  Bible  Class  of  Philadelphia. 

Legislature  of  Arizona. 

Real  Estate  Auctioneers'  Association  of  New 
York. 

U.  S.  Grant  Club  of  Brooklyn. 

Maritime  Association  of  the  Port  of  New  York. 

Republican  Club,  Ninth  District  of  New  York. 

Federal  Club  of  Madison  Avenue,  New  York. 

Chamber  of  Commerce,  Pensacola,  Fla. 

Custom  House  in  Galveston,  Texas. 

Enrolled  Republicans  of  the  Twenty-third 
Ward  of  New  York. 

New  York  Turner  Cadets. 

Board  of  Trade  in  McKeesport,  Pa. 

Ex-New  York  Turner  Cadets. 

Legislature  of  New  Mexico. 

In  many  instances  the  resolutions  and  tributes 
were  presented  in  beautiful  and  enduring  form. 


64  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Rankin,  at  the  regular  Sunday 
afternoon  service  at  Howard  University,  Febru 
ary  2,  said :  — 

For  many  years  Mr.  Windom  was  my  parishioner  in 
this  city.  I  was  frequently  in  his  Christian  home,  I 
was  frequently  in  his  business  office,  I  saw  him  under 
many  different  circumstances,  and  I  never  met  him  but 
he  was  the  same  urbane,  dignified,  agreeable  gentleman, 
with  especial  sympathy  for  the  abused  and  oppressed. 
He  was  a  man  singularly  and  beautifully  free  from  the 
petty  weaknesses  of  humanity,  and  remarkably  en 
dowed  with  great  moral  and  intellectual  excellences. 

The  manner  of  his  death,  at  first  thought  so  tragic, 
was  really  but  the  appropriate  culmination  of  his  great 
public  career,  of  his  singular  service  to  the  State  as  her 
accredited  financier. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trade  to  which  came 
that  uninvited  guest,  Secretary  Windom  stood  among 
the  business  minds  of  the  great  metropolis,  and  spoke 
to  them  words  of  such  large  wisdom,  he  stood  there, 
himself  so  largely  the  embodiment  of  the  great  public 
service  he  had  rendered  and  was  rendering,  that,  en 
thusiastic  as  was  the  recognition  given  him,  it  did  not 
seem  beyond  his  desert.  He  received  that  recognition, 
and  then  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  he 
was  transferred  to  higher  service  in  heaven,  even  as 
though  the  nation  had  heard  it  said,  "Because  thou 
hast  been  faithful  over  the  unrighteous  mammon,  I  will 
give  thee  the  true  riches." 


3letter£  of  Condolence 

FROM  among  many  hundreds  of  letters  and  tele 
grams  which  came  from  all  parts  of  our  own  land  and 
from  distant  countries,  expressing  sorrow  for  the  death 
of  Mr.  Windom,  and  sympathy  with  his  bereaved  fam 
ily,  the  following,  from  persons  with  whom  he  was 
associated  in  public  life,  are  given.  Others,  not  less 
valued,  are  withheld,  their  expressions  of  affectionate 
condolence  being  too  personal  to  be  shared  even  with 
the  circle  of  friends  to  whom  this  little  volume  goes. 

FROM    THE    PRESIDENT. 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON, 
June  13,  1891. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  —  I  have  learned  with 
great  pleasure  that  there  is  in  course  of  preparation  a 
memorial  of  your  honored  husband,  and  I  would  like 
to  be  permitted  to  contribute  a  few  words  of  friendly 
appreciation. 

My  real  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Windom  began  with 
his  first  service  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  under 
President  Garfield,  and  grew  into  an  intimacy  of  the 
strongest  personal  confidence  and  friendship,  increas 
ing  as  our  intercourse  became  closer.  Intercourse  with 
5 


66  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

Mr.  Windom,  whether  personal  or  official,  was  always 
delightful.  He  was  a  man  of  warm  and  generous  im 
pulses,  of  a  placid  and  genial  temperament,  and  of 
great  mental  resources.  His  relations  to  me  as  a  Cabi 
net  officer  were  in  the  highest  degree  satisfactory  from 
an  official  standpoint,  and  always  characterized  by  ab 
solute  personal  confidence  and  friendliness.  No  single 
incident  involving  misunderstanding  or  the  smallest 
irritation  occurred  between  us  during  our  official  con 
nection.  His  loyalty  to  duty  was  most  conspicuous  ; 
and  I  had  a  sense  of  perfect  confidence  in  his  adminis 
tration  of  the  great  department  committed  to  him.  He 
was  more  than  a  safe  administrator  of  the  Treasury 
in  its  ordinary  routine.  He  was  a  financier  full  of 
wise  expedients  and  original  suggestions.  His  death 
was  a  very  affecting  dispensation  to  me.  He  had 
served  his  country  well,  and  has  left  to  his  country 
men,  by  deed  and  word,  lessons  and  suggestions  that 
are  worthy  of  their  profound  attention. 
Very  truly  yours, 

BENJAMIN  HARRISON. 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  67 

FROM    SECRETARY   ELAINE. 

WASHINGTON,  February  4,  1891. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  —  I  thought  it  well  to 
withhold  the  enclosed  dispatches  of  condolence  until 
after  the  sad  solemnities  of  yesterday.  These  expres 
sions  show  the  great  reputation  which  your  beloved 
husband  had  acquired  in  the  empires  of  Europe. 

Let  me  add,  my  dear  Mrs.  Windom,  though  it  bring 
no  consolation  to  you,  the  profound  sense  of  loss  which 
I  feel  in  the  death  of  Mr.  Windom.  I  recall  our  most 
pleasant  and  cordial  acquaintance  of  thirty  years : 
the  last  two,  of  very  close  association,  were,  I  feel  sure, 
full  of  mutual  helpfulness  and  unselfish  friendship. 

I  know  not,  my  dear  Mrs.  Windom,  what  word  of 
consolation  I  can  speak  to  you.  But  surely  the  mem 
ory  of  Mr.  Windom  is  itself  a  consolation.  Able,  con 
scientious,  patriotic,  devoted  as  a  public  officer,  he  cer 
tainly  was,  in  as  great  a  degree  as  any  one  I  have  ever 
met ;  and  I  mourn  him  as  a  friend  whose  loss  is  great 
to  me  personally,  and  in  a  far  more  important  sense 
to  the  country.  .  .  . 

Most  sincerely  your  friend, 

JAMES  G,  ELAINE. 


68  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

FROM   EX-PRESIDENT   HAYES. 

SPIEGEL  GROVE,  FREMONT,  OHIO. 
DEAR   MRS.  WINDOM,  — 

My  friendship  for  your  honored  husband  began  in 
1865,  when  we  met  in  the  House  of  Representatives  as 
members  of  the  Thirty-ninth  Congress.  He  had  then 
been  a  member  of  Congress  three  terms,  and  was  rec 
ognized  by  all  as  an  able  and  rising  man.  He  com 
bined  in  an  unusual  degree  good  temper  and  a  sound 
judgment  with  energy,  perseverance,  and  firmness.  He 
made  friends  without  effort,  and  no  man  had  good  rea 
son  to  be  his  enemy.  He  won  confidence  by  deserving 
it.  His  whole  conduct,  public  and  private,  was  marked 
by  the  essential  virtues  of  moderation  and  wisdom,  of 
honesty  and  fidelity  to  duty.  One  of  the  most  emi 
nent  of  his  colleagues  in  the  Senate  spoke  of  him  as  his 
ideal  of  what  a  President  of  the  Nation  ought  to  be. 

He  did  not  succeed  by  brilliancy  or  magnetism.  He 
was  safe.  He  could  be  trusted.  Those  who  knew  him 
best  loved  him  most.  He  died  in  the  maturity  of  his 
powers,  and  it  is  felt  throughout  the  land  that  a  wise 
and  patriotic  statesman  has  fallen.  Friendly  words 
about  him  come  from  every  quarter.  His  fame  as  a 
man  and  a  statesman  was  largely  due  to  his  noble  and 
stainless  character. 

With  all  sympathy  in  your  bereavement, 

RUTHERFORD  B.  HAYES. 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  69 

FROM   EX-SECRETARY   BAYARD. 
MY  DEAR  MRS.    WlNDOM, 

It  gives  me  a  sincere  though  melancholy  pleasure  to 
dwell  upon  the  public  and  personal  virtues  of  my  friend 
your  beloved  husband.  He  was  an  eminent  member 
of  the  House  of  Representatives  when  I  first  entered 
the  Senate.  His  transfer  to  the  Senate  soon  followed, 
and  I  became  better  aware  of  his  admirable  faculties 
for  conducting  public  business.  It  was  not  long  before 
the  relations  between  us  became  those  of  confidential 
and  friendly  cooperation.  I  witnessed  his  life  and  ser 
vice  in  the  Senate  and  in  the  Cabinet ;  always  respect 
ing  his  motives,  admiring  his  capacity,  and  not  with 
holding  my  tribute  of  personal  assistance  and  public 
acknowledgment  and  praise.  I  heard  his  last  earnest 
and  impressive  words  of  wise  counsel  to  his  country 
men,  and  it  now  seems  to  me  that  his  was  the  manner 
and  occasion  of  death  most  merciful,  —  most  to  be  de 
sired.  His  heart  was  throbbing  with  patriotic  impulse ; 
his  intellect  was  shedding  its  rays  to  enlighten  and  ben 
efit  his  country  ;  his  life  had  been  conducted  reverently 
to  God,  —  purely,  honestly,  and  dutifully.  "Who,  then, 
shall  doubt  that  painlessly  and  quickly  he  entered  into 
his  reward.  .  .  . 

Believe  me,  dear  Mrs.  Windom,  truly  and  respect 
fully,  Your  fellow-mourner, 

T.  F.  BAYARD. 


70  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

FROM  EX-SECRETARY  MCCULLOCH. 

WASHINGTON,  January  31,  1891. 
DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM, — 

Although  I  had  most  favorably  known  Mr.  Windom 
for  many  years,  my  estimate  of  his  character  and  of 
the  value  of  his  services  to  the  country  was  greatly  in 
creased  after  he  became  for  the  second  time  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury.  In  him  were  eminently  combined 
characteristic  virtues  and  abilities  for  the  proper  per 
formance  of  public  duties  of  a  very  important  and  diffi 
cult  character. 

By  all  who  had  the  honor  of  his  personal  acquaint 
ance  he  was  most  highly  respected,  and  you  have  their 
heartfelt  sympathy. 

Your  friend, 

HUGH  MCCULLOCH. 


FROM    SENATOR   MORRILL. 

WASHINGTON,  January  30,  1891. 
MY  DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  — 

The  national  reputation  of  your  dear  husband  in 
creased  at  every  step  of  his  public  career :  always  de 
voting  his  clear  and  vigorous  intellect  to  the  thorough 
mastery  of  the  important  affairs  with  which  he  was  con 
cerned  ;  bearing  himself  with  unaffected  modesty,  and 
such  rectitude  of  purpose  as,  without  wounding  oppo 
nents,  won  the  hearts  of  his  friends. 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  71 

To  me  Mr.  Windom  was  much  more  than  a  politi 
cal  friend  :  he  was  a  valued  personal  friend,  and  I  have 
no  words  at  command  that  will  express  my  grief  at  his 
loss.  .  .  . 

Very  sincerely  yours, 

JUSTIN  S.  MORBILL. 


FROM  SENATOR  EVARTS. 
DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  — 

In  the  brief  term  of  his  service  under  President 
Garfield,  Mr.  Windom  accomplished  one  of  the  most 
valuable  and  brilliant  achievements  in  our  financial 
history,  by  his  conversion  of  the  public  debt  at  the 
unprecedented  rate  of  interest  of  three  per  cent.  No 
single  act  in  that  province  of  government  ever  gained 
greater  credit  for  an  administration,  or  renown  for 
a  financial  minister.  It  was  an  unhappy  vicissitude 
in  our  politics  that  retired  Mr.  Windom  from  the  Sen 
ate  on  the  4th  of  March,  1883,  after  his  reentering  that 
body  upon  the  change  of  the  Cabinet  following  the 
death  of  President  Garfield.  His  position  at  the  head 
of  a  great  committee  enabled  Mr.  Windom  to  show 
anew  in  the  Senate  and  to  the  country  the  varied  abil 
ities  and  moral  qualities  which  fitted  him  for  the  high 
est  public  service  in  great  affairs. 

In  these  last  years  and  under  the  present  adminis 
tration,  Mr.  Windom  has  rendered  conspicuous  ser 
vices  to  his  country.  Had  he  been  permitted  to  pro 
long  his  conduct  of  the  Treasury  Department  until  the 


72  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

incidents  of  politics  might  have  brought  it  to  a  close,  — 
in  the  general  judgment  of  all  men  in  public  life,  he 
would  have  made  a  greater  and  greater  impression 
upon  the  country,  and  raised  still  higher  the  illustrious 
reputation  which  he  had  already  reached.  The  man 
ner  of  his  death,  so  appalling  in  its  incident,  will  hal 
low  and  perpetuate  our  countrymen's  appreciation  of 
this  memorable  life. 

In  Mr.  Windom's  character  were  combined  not  only 
the  public  qualities  which  fitted  him  for  affairs,  but 
certain  personal  traits  which  if  present  greatly  assist, 
and  if  wanting  seriously  embarrass,  the  full  power  and 
efficiency  of  these  greater  qualities.  Uniformity  of 
firmness  and  good  temper  are  by  no  means  common  ; 
and  if  to  these  be  added  the  grace  of  sympathetic  cour 
tesy,  a  statesman  is  with  these  well  equipped  for  all 
diversities  of  conduct  and  of  character  with  which  his 
manifold  duties  bring  him  in  contact.  In  this  combi 
nation  Mr.  Windom  was  singularly  fortunate.  They 
were  natural  to  him,  and  were  cultivated  upon  principle 
as  a  part  of  that  conduct  of  life  which  he  marked  out 
for  himself  and  to  which  he  adhered  to  the  end. 

The  ever  noticeable  youthfulness  of  his  features  and 
manner  could  hardly  be  separable  from  youthfulness  of 
heart  and  soul,  and  the  touching  and  impressive  record 
of  his  inner  life,  which  his  premature  and  lamented 
death  now  permit  to  become  known,  shows  that  in 
truth  there  was  no  such  separation  in  this  benevolent 
and  beneficent  nature. 

This  nation  has  been  served  from  generation  to  gen 
eration  by  many  great  and  good  men,  and  in  our  assur- 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  73 

ance  of  the  permanence  of  our  institutions  and  our 
public  prosperity  it  will  be  so  served  from  generation 
to  generation  in  the  future.  Among  them  all,  William 
Windom  will  always  be  a  marked  and  admirable  fig 
ure,  and  few  will  be  more  secure,  in  the  ever-changing 
minds  of  men  and  in  ever-changing  times,  from  de 
traction  or  neglect. 
I  am,  dear  madam, 

Sincerely  your  friend, 

WILLIAM  M.  EVARTS. 

FROM  SENATOR  SHERMAN. 
MY  DEAR  MADAM,  — 

There  were  some  coincidences  in  the  lives  of  Mr. 
Windom  and  myself,  of  which  we  have  often  spoken, 
which  tended  to  bring  us  into  friendly  relations,  aside 
from  our  communion  in  the  same  party.  We  were  each 
born  on  the  10th  day  of  May  in  the  same  State,  pur 
sued  the  same  profession,  and  with  marked  similarity  in 
our  progress  in  public  life ;  but  he  was  born  four  years 
later  than  I,  entered  the  House  of  Representatives  four 
years  later  than  I,  and  succeeded  me  as  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  after  my  service  of  four  years.  We  served 
together  in  the  House,  the  Senate,  and  the  Depart 
ment  during  his  whole  political  life.  During  all  that 
time  we  were,  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  term,  warm 
friends.  No  shadow  ever  passed  between  us  until  the 
hour  of  his  death.  I  knew  him,  as  well  as  one  man 
can  know  another,  in  social  life,  in  political  struggles, 
in  the  rivalry  of  ambition  ;  and  I  can  say  of  him 


74  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

that  I  never  knew  one  more  faithful  to  his  convictions, 
more  honorable  in  his  intercourse,  more  sincere  in  his 
friendships,  a  truer  friend  and  a  better  patriot,  than 
William  Windom. 

In  writing  these  few  words  my  mind  wanders  back 
over  many  years  of  controversy,  of  earnest  debate,  of 
harsh  and  bitter  warfare,  when  the  gravest  questions 
involving  the  fate  of  our  country  were  pending,  and  in 
the  midst  of  it  all  Mr.  Windom  was  the  calm,  self-reli 
ant,  frank  statesman,  whose  mind  grasped  every  ques 
tion  presented  and  always  settled  upon  the  right  side, 
or  upon  that  which  seemed  to  him  most  for  the  interest 
of  his  country.  He  was  never  impatient,  irritable,  or 
arrogant,  but  when  he  arrived  at  a  conclusion  he  firmly 
maintained  and  acted  upon  his  convictions.  He  was 
always  manly  and  pleasant  in  his  intercourse  with  his 
associates,  and  united  a  kindly  manner  with  firmness 
and  fidelity.  I  did  not  dream  that  in  the  chances  of  life 
I  was  to  survive  him,  for  in  appearance  he  was  the 
image  of  vigorous  health  and  strength.  He  lived  long 
enough,  however,  to  fix  his  name  and  fame  on  the  roll 
of  American  statesmen  whose  lives  have  been  a  bless 
ing,  and  whose  death  a  sorrow,  to  the  whole  country. 
To  me  he  was  always  more  than  an  associate.  He  was 
a  cherished  friend  whose  absence  leaves  a  sense  of  loss 
which  words  cannot  express  and  time  alone  can  heal. 
Our  consolation  is,  that  while  sharing  the  common  fate 
of  mortals,  he  leaves  behind  him  a  name  and  memory 
that  will  never  die. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

JOHN  SHERMAN. 


LETTERS   OF  ^CONDOLENCE  75 

FROM   SENATOR   DAWES.J 

WASHINGTON,  January  30. 
MY  DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  — 

We  extend  to  you  the  profound  sympathy  of  the  un 
broken  friendship  of  thirty  years.  .  .  .  Mr.  Windom 
entered  Congress  on  the  eve  of  the  war,  when  every 
man  like  coin  was  counted  at  his  true  value.  Although 
the  youngest  among  us,  he  grew  rapidly  to  a  position  of 
influence  and  wide  participation  in  public  affairs  ;  and 
during  all  the  years  of  unparalleled  experience  through 
which  the  nation  has  since  passed,  his  has  been  a  large 
and  increasing  share  in  the  conduct  of  the  government. 
He  leaves  the  first  rank  of  statesmen  with  an  abiding 
record  of  stainless  devotion  to  duty,  and  his  death  will 
be  everywhere  felt  as  a  national  calamity. 
Sorrowingly  and  truly  yours, 

H.  L.  DAWES. 

FROM    SENATOR   EDMUNDS. 

DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  —  I  hope  you  will  not  think 
me  intrusive  if  I  write  you  in  your  great  sorrow  and 
distress,  to  express  my  deep  sympathy  with  you  in  your 
bereavement,  and  my  own  sense  of  loss  as  a  personal 
friend  of  Mr.  Windom.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  when  I  came  to  the  Senate 
in  1866.  Then,  and  especially  afterwards,  when  he 
became  a  most  valued  and  valuable  member  of  the 
Senate,  and  also  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  the 
administration  of  President  Garfield,  I  knew  him  inti- 


76  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

mately.  With  a  brave  and  vigorous  assertion  of  his 
convictions  —  the  result  of  intense  patriotism  and  a 
strong  and  trained  intellect  —  he  united  the  most  gen 
tle  and  courteous  manner ;  and  so  he  was  always  an 
honor  to  every  place  he  filled,  as  well  as  a  cultivated 
gentleman  and  a  genial  and  sympathetic  friend.  I 
prize  his  memory  greatly. 

Very  faithfully  yours, 

GEORGE  B.  EDMUNDS. 

FROM    SENATOR   HOAR. 

WORCESTER,  August  20,  1891. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  —  I  hope  some  memorial 
of  your  deceased  husband  may  be  given  to  the  public 
beyond  the  expressions  of  affection  and  respect  which 
were  so  abundant  at  the  time  of  his  death.  It  would 
seem  quite  desirable  to  preserve  in  permanent  form 
some  of  his  speeches  and  reports. 

I  have  highly  valued  Mr.  Windom,  ever  since  I  first 
knew  him,  as  one  of  the  very  wisest  and  ablest  of  our 
public  men.  He  was  a  very  careful  investigator  of  all 
the  public  questions  of  the  time.  He  kept  himself 
abreast  of  the  best  political  thought  of  the  country. 
But  he  was  always  practical,  knowing  well  that  the 
party  to  which  he  belonged  and  of  which  he  was  a 
trusted  leader  must,  while  it  was  looking  into  the  fu 
ture,  also  perform  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  people  the 
duties  of  the  present.  His  report  on  transcontinental 
transportation  was  the  first  great  discussion  of  that 
important  question.  It  is  one  of  the  very  foremost  of 
our  state  papers.  If  it  were  desired  to  preserve  for 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  77 

future  use  and  study  the  best  specimens  of  the  political 
discussion  of  our  day,  this  report  of  Mr.  Windom  and 
the  powerful  speech  which  he  made  just  before  he  died 
would  have  no  superiors  and  few  equals  in  fitness  for 
that  purpose.  I  served  with  Mr.  Windom  in  the  Sen 
ate  as  well  as  in  the  House,  and  had  frequent  occasion 
to  consult  with  him  while  he  was  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  in  General  Garfield's  time  and  in  the  time 
of  President  Harrison.  He  was  always  courteous  and 
kindly,  always  desirous  of  obliging  his  associates  in  pub 
lic  life,  and  willing  to  defer  reasonably  to  their  wishes. 
This  gave  him  an  influence  over  them  which  made  it 
easy  for  him  to  accomplish  the  results  which  he  had  at 
heart  as  a  Senator  and  as  an  executive  officer.  I  never 
heard  from  any  of  his  associates  in  the  Senate  a  word 
concerning  Mr.  Windom  which  did  not  imply  the  high 
est  respect  for  his  ability,  and  the  kindliest  feeling 
towards  him  personally.  His  loss,  in  the  prime  of  life 
and  in  the  full  vigor  of  his  clear  intellect,  to  his  coun 
try  and  to  his  political  associates,  is  very  great  indeed. 
You  and  his  children  will  have  found  such  consolation 
for  your  irreparable  loss  as  is  possible  in  the  respectful 
sympathy  of  your  countrymen. 
I  am,  with  highest  regard, 

Faithfully  yours, 

GEORGE  F.  HOAR. 


78  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

FROM   SENATOR   ALLISON. 

WASHINGTON,  January  30. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  —  I  wish  to  express  my 
deep  sympathy  with  the  great  sorrow  that  has  come  to 
you  and  your  family  in  the  loss  of  Mr.  Windom.  It 
is  also  to  me  a  great  personal  grief.  My  long  associa 
tion  with  him  in  both  the  Senate  and  House  was  always 
of  the  most  cordial  and  friendly  character,  and  I  es 
teemed  him  as  a  most  valued  friend.  The  country  will 
deplore  the  loss  of  a  valuable  and  conscientious  public 
servant  in  high  place.  I  know  how  little  this  brief 
tribute  can  console  you,  but  I  cannot  refrain  from  thus 
expressing  the  personal  sorrow  I  feel  at  his  death.  .  .  . 
Very  sincerely  yours, 

•  W.  B.  ALLISON. 

FROM    EX-SENATOR    DAVIS,    OF   WEST   VIRGINIA. 

BALTIMORE,  January  30,  1891. 

DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  —  The  sudden  death  of  your 
husband  has  come  to  me  with  a  great  shock,  as  if  one 
of  my  own  household  were  taken,  and  my  heart  goes 
out  to  you  in  sincerest  sympathy. 

Mr.  Windom's  life  was  without  a  stain,  a  model  for 
all  men,  and  the  world  is  better  for  his  having  lived  in 
it.  He  was  thoroughly  conscientious  in  every  work  he 
undertook,  and  industrious  to  a  fault.  While  earnest 
and  forcible  in  his  advocacy  of  any  measure  he  deemed 
right,  he  was  courteous  and  attentive  to  an  opponent 
and  willing  to  give  proper  weight  to  adverse  views. 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  79 

I  deem  myself  most  fortunate  to  have  served  with 
him  in  the  United  States  Senate,  and  particularly  re 
member  with  pleasure  our  joint  service  for  many  years 
on  the  Committee  on  Appropriations  and  the  Commit 
tee  on  Transportation  Routes  to  the  Seaboard.  Mr. 
Windom's  exhaustive  report  of  the  findings  and  recom 
mendations  of  that  Committee  is  one  of  the  earliest 
publications  on  that  subject,  and  is  a  valuable  contribu 
tion  to  the  history  of  the  country  to  which  constant 
reference  is  now  made. 

His  long  service  to  the  country  in  both  branches  of 
Congress  and  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  was  distin 
guished  by  able  advocacy  and  earnest,  faithful  applica 
tion.  Although  a  consistent  Republican,  he  never  al 
lowed  the  partisan  to  overshadow  the  statesman  and 
the  patriot.  His  loss  to  the  country  is  great ;  to  you 
and  your  family  it  is  irreparable.  .  .  . 
Sincerely  your  friend, 

H.  G.  DAVIS. 

FROM  EX-GOVERNOR  MCQILL,  OF  MINNESOTA. 

MRS.  WILLIAM  WINDOM: 

My  dear  Madam,  —  The  people  of  Minnesota  are 
profoundly  impressed  by  the  sudden  death  of  your  no 
ble  husband,  and  most  sincerely  sympathize  with  you 
in  your  great  sorrow.  For  thirty  years  his  has  been 
an  honored  name  throughout  our  State,  and  at  the  time 
of  his  death  he  had  risen  to  such  eminence  as  excited 
the  pride  and  admiration  of  all,  without  regard  to  politi 
cal  party  affiliations.  As  a  citizen,  neighbor,  friend,  he 
was  a  most  lovable  man.  Indeed,  it  was  the  charm  of 


80  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

his  private  character  —  his  genial  nature  and  uncom 
promising  loyalty  —  which  gave  him  so  many  and  such 
stanch  friends. 

As  a  public  man,  while  modest  and  unassuming,  he 
rose  grandly  when  occasion  required,  always  equal  to 
the  emergency  confronting  him.  Able,  self-poised,  re 
liant,  he  was  a  statesman  of  rare  ability  and  judgment. 
As  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  he  made  a  name  that 
has  shed  lustre  not  alone  on  his  own  State,  but  on  the 
entire  nation,  —  a  name  that  will  be  known  and  hon 
ored  as  long  as  the  subject  of  finance  is  a  study  among 
men. 

With  great  respect,  I  am  sincerely  your  friend, 

C.  R.  McGiLL. 

FROM  GENERAL  TICHENOR,  LATE  ASSISTANT  SECRETARY 
OF   THE    TREASURY. 

NEW  YORK,  January  30,  1891. 
DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  — 

To  you  who  shared  so  fully  his  life,  I  need  scarcely 
say  that  Mr.  Windom  was  my  most  beloved  and  valued 
friend.  .  .  .  Our  relations  were  such  as  enabled  me  to 
study  and  to  judge  him  fully  and  fairly,  and  in  the 
light  of  that  experience  I  can  say  that  he  possessed, 
more  nearly  than  any  man  I  ever  knew,  all  the  quali 
ties  which  go  to  make  up  a  perfect  manhood.  Amiable 
to  a  rare  degree,  he  was  nevertheless  firm  as  a  rock  in 
his  adherence  to  principle. 

Singularly  devoted  to  his  friends  and  ever  thought 
ful  of  their  interests,  he  neither  wasted  his  time  nor 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  81 

embittered  his  genial  nature  by  resentful  thoughts  of 
his  enemies. 

He  was  great  and  good  and  true  in  all  the  relations 
of  life,  —  a  faithful  and  devoted  husband,  a  loving  and 
devoted  father,  a  steadfast  and  unselfish  friend,  a  loyal 
and  public-spirited  citi/en,  a  true  patriot,  an  illustrious 
statesman,  a  pure  man,  and  a  devout  Christian. 

To  have  enjoyed  his  friendship  and  confidence  will 
ever  be  one  of  the  chief  joys  of  my  life.  To  have 
been  the  wife  and  offspring  of  such  a  man  is  an  imper 
ishable  honor,  as  to  lose  him  is  an  immeasurable  sor 
row.  .  .  . 

Sincerely  yours, 

GEORGE  C.  TICHENOR. 

FROM    THE   REV.    DR.    RANKIN. 

WASHINGTON,  January  30, 1891. 

MY  DEAR  MRS.  WINDOM,  —  I  have  this  moment 
heard  of  the  sudden  translation  to  our  "  Father's 
house  "  of  your  great,  good,  and  honored  husband.  I 
feel  that  the  country  has  met  with  a  loss  irreparable, 
especially  at  this  time,  when  his  counsels  are  so  much 
needed.  He  died  at  his  post,  as  much  as  does  a  leader 
in  battle. 

Of  all  the  public  men  whom  I  have  known,  he  has 
been  to  me  a  model  man,  and  I  have  loved  him  as  a 
brother. 

I  can  never  forget  the  better  than  regal,  the  pater 
nal  presence  with  which,  standing  by  your  side,  he  re 
ceived  last  New  Year's  congratulations.  Thus  shall 
I  always  remember  him,  —  a  great-presenced,  magnifi- 


82  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

cent  man,  beaming  glances  of  recognition  and  benefi 
cence  on  all  whom  he  greeted ;  never  losing  his  serene 
self-composure,  and  yet  never  thinking  of  himself,  but 
always  seeming  happiest,  as  he  appeared  greatest,  when 
he  served. 

Be  assured  that  you  have  my  most  sincere  sympa 
thy  and  prayers. 

Very  truly  yours, 

J.  E.  RANKIN. 

FROM    A.    J.   DREXEL. 

MY  DEAR  MADAM,  — .  .  .  T  had  a  very  great  es 
teem  for  Mr.  Windom.  He  was  a  man  of  the  highest 
character  and  a  true  statesman,  never  sacrificing  his 
principles  for  expediency.  His  efforts  in  favor  of  hon 
est  money  were  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  country 
during  the  critical  period  of  the  past  year,  and  his  dy 
ing  words  will  be  always  remembered  and  held  out  as 
a  warning  against  any  departure  from  honesty  in  the 
maintenance  of  a  sound  currency. 

His  gentle,  unassuming  manners  endeared  him  to  all 
who  came  into  intercourse  with  him,   and  I  feel   his 
death  as  a  personal  loss.  .   .   . 
I  am,  dear  Madam, 

Faithfully  yours, 

A.  J.  DREXEL. 


LETTERS   OF  CONDOLENCE  83 

FROM   JUDGE   SHELLABABGEB. 

WASHINGTON,  January  30,  1891. 

DEAB  MBS.  WINDOM,  —  In  the  midst  of  the  uni 
versal  grief  which  pervades  our  entire  country  at  the 
death  of  your  distinguished  husband,  I  cannot  refrain 
from  an  expression  of  sincere  sympathy  for  you  and 
your  dear  family  in  your  most  profound  sorrow. 

My  association  with  Mr.  Windom  in  Congress,  and 
what  the  whole  country  has  since  seen  of  him,  have 
made  me  regard  him  as  really  one  of  the  most  valu 
able  men  of  the  Republic,  —  a  man  of  no  disguises, 
no  shams,  no  acting,  but  steadily  and  throughout  the 
long  years  the  enlightened,  firm,  trained,  and  most  val 
uable  officer,  statesman  and  citizen. 

The  last  act  of  his  life  is  indeed  a  fitting  crown  for 
a  great  and  good  life. 

I  know,  dear  Mrs.  Windom,  that  these  letters  of  con 
dolence  are  poor  things,  though  well  meant.  But  in 
your  dear  departed  husband's  life  you  have  a  consola 
tion  beyond  all  price.  .  .  . 

Most  sincerely  yours, 

SAMUEL  SHELLABABGEB. 

FBOM   MATOB   MANNING   (SON   OP   THE   LATE  SECBE- 
TABY  MANNING). 

ALBANY,  N.  Y.,  January  31,  1891. 

DEAB  MADAM,  —  Your  bereavement  impels  me  to 
extend  to  you  and  your  family  my  tender est  sympathy. 
The  deep  impression  which  the  death  of  Secretary 
Windom  has  made  upon  the  country  is  not  alone  the 


84  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

result  of  the  suddenness  of  the  summons,  but  is  a  trib 
ute  to  those  characteristics  of  Mr.  Windom  which  have 
caused  the  people,  without  reference  to  party  lines,  to 
regard  him  as  a  man  of  broad  statesmanship,  unselfish 
public  spirit,  and  unimpeachable  personal  integrity. 

Between  my  father  and  Mr.  Windom  existed  a 
strong  personal  friendship.  I  have  followed  with  in 
creasing  interest  the  public  career  of  Secretary  Win 
dom,  and  have  found  that  my  father's  high  estimate  of 
his  ability  and  general  grasp  of  affairs  was  indeed  well 
founded. 

Sincerely  yours, 

JAMES  H.  MANNING. 


€degram£  to  $®t$.  Utotiom 

ST.  PAUL,  January  30. 

As  chief  executive  of  the  State  that  Secretary  Win- 
dom  has  so  ably  represented  and  so  greatly  honored,  I 
beg  to  express  the  intense  grief  felt  by  our  entire  peo 
ple,  irrespective  of  party,  at  his  untimely  death. 

WILLIAM  R.  MERRIAM. 

FREMONT,  OHIO,  January  30. 

You  are  assured  of  the  deepest  sympathy  of  myself 
and  my  family.     Your  noble  husband  was  beloved  and 
admired  by  us  all.    The  whole  people  mourn  with  you. 
RUTHERFORD  B.  HATES. 

WINONA,  MINN.,  January  30. 

The  membership  of  this  your  church  home,  as  we 
meet  to-night,  sympathize  with  you  in  this  hour  of  your 
great  sorrow,  and  earnestly  pray  that  the  Everlasting 
Arms  may  be  your  refuge  and  support. 

L.  L.  WEST,  Pastor. 

LONDON,  January  30. 
Accept  our  sincere  sympathy. 

LINCOLN. 


86  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

HARRISBURG,  January  30. 

Permit  me  to  express  my  heartfelt  sympathy  for  you 
in  this  hour  of  deep  affliction  which  has  come  so  sud 
denly  upon  you.  Pennsylvania  joins  in  the  great  sor 
row  which  all  must  feel. 

ROBERT  E.  PATTISON. 

PHILADELPHIA,  January  30. 

We  send  our  heartfelt  sympathy,  and  pray  that  you 
may  be  given  strength  to  endure  this  great  affliction. 

WAYNE  MCVEAGH. 

NEW  YORK,  January  30. 

Accept  our  sympathy  in  your  great  loss.  Those  who 
knew  your  husband  best  loved  him  most. 

THOMAS  L.  JAMES. 

DETROIT,  MICH.,  January  30. 

Accept  our  profound  sympathy  in  this  dark  hour  of 
deepest  sorrow. 

R.  A.  ALGER. 

NEW  YORK,  January  30. 

The  members  of  the  New  York  Mercantile  Exchange 
tender  their  sincere  sympathies  to  the  family  of  the 
honored  citizen  and  statesman,  William  Windom. 

We  join  with  the  entire  nation  in  sorrow  for  the  na 
tion's  loss. 

JAMES  H.  SNYDER,  President. 


TELEGRAMS   TO  MRS.    WIN  DOM  87 

LONDON,  January  31. 

On  behalf  of  a  large  gathering  of  Americans  assem 
bled  here,  I  am  requested  to  communicate  to  you  their 
heartfelt  sympathy  in  your  most  painful  bereavement. 
C.  A.  GILLIG,  Secretary. 


to  tlje  ^Department  of 


WASHINGTON,  January  31,  1891. 

SIB,  —  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  I  have 
received  a  telegram  from  the  Marquis  of  Salisbury  in 
which  I  am  directed  to  express  to  you  the  great  and 
general  regret  with  which  the  news  of  Mr.  Secretary 
Windom's  distressingly  sudden  death  has  been  received 
in  the  United  Kingdom. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  the  highest  consider 
ation,  sir, 

Your  most  obedient  servant, 

JULIAN  PAUNCEFOTE. 

The  Hon.  JAMES  G.  ELAINE,  Secretary  of  State. 


IMPERIAL  GERMAN  LEGATION,  WASHINGTON, 
January  31,  1891. 

SIB,  —  I  have  received  a  telegram  from  the  Baron 
Marshall,  the  Secretary  of  State  of  the  German  Em 
pire,  by  which  I  am  directed  to  express  to  you  and  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  in  behalf  of  the  Ger 
man  government,  its  deep  sympathy  with  the  great  loss 
which  has  fallen  upon  your  country  by  the  death  of  the 


TELEGRAMS  TO  DEPARTMENT  OF  STATE    89 

Secretary  of    the    Treasury,    the    Honorable   William 
Windom. 

I  have  the  honor,  sir,  to  renew  to  you  the  assurance 
of  my  highest  consideration. 

ARCO. 
The  Hon.  JAMES  G.  ELAINE,  Secretary  of  State. 


ROYAL  LEGATION  OF  ITALY,  WASHINGTON, 
January  31,  1891. 

MR.  SECRETARY  OF  STATE,  —  The  government  of 
the  King,  having  been  informed  of  the  death  of  the 
Honorable  William  Windom,  has  instructed  me  to  con 
vey  to  your  Excellency  the  expression  of  its  condo 
lence  in  the  sad  loss  which  the  United  States  govern 
ment  and  the  country  at  large  have  just  sustained  in 
the  person  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

In  performing  this  duty  without  delay,  I  have  the 
honor  to  beg  you,  Mr.  Secretary  of  State,  to  be  pleased 
to  bring  the  foregoing  to  the  notice  of  the  President, 
and  to  add  the  assurance  of  my  own  warm  sympathy  in 
this  national  grief. 

Be  pleased  to  accept,  Mr.  Secretary  of  State,  the  re 
newed  assurances  of  my  highest  consideration. 

FAVA. 
The  Hon.  JAMES  G.  ELAINE,  Secretary  of  State. 


i^infcom 


IN  "  The  New  York  Independent  "  of  February 
12,  1891,  appeared  the  following  article  from  the 
pen  of  General  A.  B.  Nettleton,  then  Acting 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  :  — 

The  manner  and  place  of  Secretary  Windom's  death 
caused  the  announcement  of  his  departure  to  startle 
the  country  like  the  tidings  of  a  great  tragedy.  It  has 
probably  never  happened  to  any  other  public  man  to 
close  his  life  through  natural  causes  under  circum 
stances  so  striking  and  impressive.  The  guest  of  honor 
at  a  notable  gathering  of  distinguished  men  in  the 
nation's  metropolis,  and  appointed  to  be  the  first  and 
principal  speaker  of  the  occasion,  he  appears  before 
his  listeners  apparently  a  man  of  robust  health,  and 
certainly  in  the  prime  of  his  mental  forces,  delivers  in 
full  tone  and  strength  to  its  close  one  of  the  ablest 
speeches  of  the  present  decade,  and,  while  the  echoes 
of  the  tumultuous  applause  which  greeted  his  perora 
tion  had  scarcely  died  out  of  the  air,  he  passes  in  an 
instant,  w'ithout  a  word,  and  probably  without  a  pang, 
from  the  brilliant  banquet  hall  to  the  realm  of  silence. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  imagine  any  element  which 


WILLIAM    WIN  DOM  91 

would  have  added  to  the  dramatic  solemnity  of  the 
event.  It  was  such  a  dying  in  harness  as  any  healthy- 
minded  man  might  well  covet ;  but  the  shock  produced 
upon  the  public  mind  has  nothing  in  it  to  be  desired. 

While  the  peculiar  accessories  of  his  death  tended 
to  create  a  profound  impression  and  to  call  forth  a 
widespread  regret  coupled  with  something  akin  to 
intense  compassion,  yet  the  universal  and  spontaneous 
manifestation  of  sorrow  and  affection,  which  has  sel 
dom  been  equaled  in  the  case  of  any  citizen  since  the 
founding  of  the  Republic,  means  more  than  this.  These 
expressions  of  genuine  grief  have  not  been  limited  to 
any  section,  party,  or  creed,  and  they  testify  to  some 
thing  deeper  than  a  passing  interest  in  the  sudden 
decease  of  a  high  official.  They  show  beyond  question 
that  William  Windom,  the  incorruptible  and  intrepid 
public  servant  and  the  unassuming  and  gentle-hearted 
Christian  citizen,  had  a  most  unusual  hold  upon  the 
popular  regard.  And  those  who  knew  him  best  are 
least  surprised  at  the  signs  of  general  sorrow.  A 
rarer  spirit,  a  more  valuable  life,  seldom  passes. 

There  is  nothing  sensational  or  spectacular  in  the 
simple  record  of  the  occupancy  of  high  official  station 
during  nearly  all  the  years  of  Mr.  Windom's  mature 
life  ;  but  those  years  of  service  to  the  country,  in  Con 
gress  and  Cabinet,  were  filled  with  an  amount  and  kind 
of  activity  and  work  that  resulted  in  the  building  of  a 
character  and  the  making  of  a  record,  which,  in  my 
judgment,  must  place  his  name  among  the  foremost 
score  of  America's  public  men.  The  noble  result  is 
due,  not  to  genius  or  brilliancy  (for  he  possessed 


92  WILLIAM    WINDOM 

neither),  but  to  a  combination  and  balance  of  qualities 
which  are  infinitely  better  than  genius,  and  without 
which  statesmanship  is  impossible. 

First  among  the  traits  which  rendered  this  man's 
life  enduringly  valuable,  was  a  magnificent  common 
sense,  which,  throughout  his  entire  career,  never  de 
serted  him,  and  which  never  permitted  him  to  do  a 
rash  or  ill-advised  thing. 

His  modesty  withheld  him  from  undertaking  that  for 
which  he  was  not  equipped,  but  his  unassuming  courage 
and  uniform  loyalty  to  the  right  saved  him  from  all 
sense  of  timidity  in  the  presence  of  a  recognized 
responsibility.  His  industry  and  thoroughness,  when 
ever  and  wherever  any  work  required  to  be  done,  were 
so  conspicuous  and  exceptional  as  to  attract  the  atten 
tion  and  call  forth  the  admiration  of  all  who  were  asso 
ciated  with  him.  His  unflagging  diligence  coupled 
with  his  tremendous  power  of  work  were  the  chief 
factors  in  his  remarkable  usefulness  and  success :  but 
in  these  later  years,  when  the  vital  energies  had  passed 
their  meridian  and  a  hereditary  weakness  of  the  heart 
began  to  suggest  sharp  limitations  upon  continuous 
effort,  his  lifelong  habit  of  hard  work  betrayed  him 
into  excesses  in  this  direction  which  hastened  the  catas 
trophe. 

The  most  conspicuous  chapters  in  the  record  of  Mr. 
Windom's  life  of  eminent  service,  chapters  which  reach 
the  dignity  of  positive  and  constructive  statesmanship, 
may  be  thus  briefly  catalogued  :  — 

His  steady  and  unflinching  advocacy  of  a  restored 
Union  by  means  of  successful  war  throughout  four 


WILLIAM   WIN  DOM  93 

years  of  the  Rebellion;  his  early  championship  of 
emancipation  as  a  just  and  logical  corollary  of  de 
feated  secession  ;  his  leading  part  in  holding  the  coun 
try  to  the  righteous  resolution  that  the  measures  of 
reconstruction  following  the  war  should  preserve  the 
fruits  of  the  nation's  sacrifice  ;  his  exhaustive  investi 
gations  and  masterly  report  as  Chairman  of  the  Com 
mittee  on  Transportation  Routes  to  the  Seaboard,  an 
investigation  and  report  which  have  done  a  most  be 
neficent  work  in  reforming  and  developing  the  interior 
commerce  of  the  country ;  his  superb  financial  coup  as 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  1881,  in  refunding  a 
large  section  of  the  national  debt  at  practically  no  cost 
to  the  government  under  difficulties  which  seemed  to 
others  insuperable,  and  with  a  saving  to  the  people  of 
many  millions  in  interest  payments ;  his  leading  and 
sensible  part  in  1887  and  subsequently  in  the  much 
needed  movement  to  check  the  aggressions  of  the  saloon 
interest,  which  threatened  to  debau3h  the  political  life 
of  the  nation  ;  his  timely,  sagacious,  and  courageous 
use  of  the  treasury  resources  during  the  closing  months 
of  1890  to  restore  the  tottering  confidence  of  the 
country,  and  avert  impending  panic  which  threatened 
to  result  in  a  contagion  of  bankruptcy  reaching  from 
ocean  to  ocean ;  and,  finally,  his  magnificent  stand 
during  the  closing  days  and  the  dying  speech  of  his  life 
in  favor  of  a  sound  and  adequate  currency  for  the 
nation,  consisting  of  and  based  upon  both  gold  and 
silver,  including  the  ultimate  and  entire  restoration  of 
silver  to  its  rightful  place  as  soon  as  this  can  be  accom 
plished  within  the  lines  of  safety. 


94  WILLIAM    WINDOM 

But  the  man  William  Windom  was  greater  than  the 
Legislator  and  Finance  Minister  whom  a  nation 
mourns.  His  pure  and  reverent  life,  in  the  midst  of 
masculine  activities  and  political  struggle,  is  an  inval 
uable  protest  against  the  gospel  of  pessimism  which 
blights  this  generation,  — an  object-lesson  to  the  young 
which  cannot  be  too  widely  studied.  He  was  a  parti 
san  and  yet  a  patriot ;  he  regarded  political  organiza 
tions  as  instruments  for  promoting  good  government, 
and  not  as  fetiches  to  be  worshiped ;  he  fought  his  bat 
tles  with  virile  energy,  yet  harbored  no  resentments ; 
he  was  as  sweet-spirited  as  a  woman,  yet  none  ever 
suspected  him  of  effeminacy ;  through  nearly  thirty 
years  of  strenuous  public  life,  mainly  in  stormy  and 
corrupting  times,  he  carried  a  stainless  name,  and, 
dying,  left  no  enemy  who  was  not  also  the  enemy  of 
his  country's  welfare. 


€l)e  (jSotommieitt  Hoan   $e0otiattoti   of 

1881 

BY    A.    B.    NETTLETON 

DURING  the  session  of  Congress  which  ended  March 
3,  1881,  a  bill  styled  the  Funding  Act  of  1881,  provid 
ing  for  the  five  and  six  per  cent,  bonds  which  would 
mature  within  the  year,  passed  both  houses  after  ex 
tended  debate,  but  was  returned  by  the  President  with 
out  his  signature,  in  consequence  of  his  objection  to 
section  5,  which  prohibited  national  banks  from  de 
positing  as  security  for  circulation  and  public  deposits, 
any  bonds  except  those  authorized  to  be  issued  under 
the  said  Funding  Act  of  1881.  The  bill  subsequently 
failed  of  obtaining  the  two  thirds  vote  necessary  to  pass 
it  over  the  President's  veto,  and  the  incoming  adminis 
tration  of  President  Garfield  was,  therefore,  confronted 
with  the  alternative  of  calling  an  extra  session  of  Con 
gress  or  providing  some  means  of  carrying  along  the 
maturing  loans  until  provision  therefor  should  be  made 
at  the  succeeding  regular  session.  The  maturing  bonds 
outstanding  April  1,  1881,  subject  to  the  option  of 
the  government,  consisted  of  $196,378,600  six  per 
cent,  bonds  and  $439,811,250  five  per  cents.,  a  total  of 
$636,189,850  redeemable  on  or  before  July  1,  1881. 


96  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

For  three  several  reasons  it  was  very  important  that 
the  failure  of  Congress  to  make  provision  for  this  great 
volume  of  maturing  bonds  should  not  result  in  their 
remaining  outstanding  at  the  old  rate  of  interest :  — 

First,  it  would  have  been  a  cumbrous,  difficult,  and 
expensive  task  to  continue  paying  interest  on  scores  of 
millions  of  coupon  bonds  from  which  all  coupons  had 
been  removed. 

Second,  it  would  have  been  a  distinct  and  serious  in 
jury  to  the  public  credit  if  the  government  had  per 
mitted  more  than  six  hundred  millions  of  dollars  of  its 
debt  to  pass  the  maturity  date  without  protection,  and 
then  continue  to  draw  rates  of  interest  which  had  by 
that  time  become  exorbitant  for  a  nation  in  the  known 
financial  condition  of  the  United  States. 

Third,  the  actual  money  loss  involved  in  continuing 
to  pay  five  and  six  per  cent,  per  annum  on  such  an 
amount  of  debt,  as  compared  with  the  three  and  a  half 
per  cent,  per  annum  at  which  Secretary  Windom  be 
lieved  it  should  be  floated,  would  be  at  the  rate  of 
more  than  eleven  million  dollars  per  annum. 

With  this  threefold  stimulus,  the  Secretary  devoted 
himself  to  the  task  of  devising  some  method  which, 
without  involving  a  violation  of  law,  should  virtually 
take  the  place  of  that  legislation  which  Congress  had 
failed  to  enact. 

After  careful  study  of  the  situation,  he  matured  and 
put  in  execution  a  plan  whereby  the  bulk  of  the  ma 
turing  bonds  were  continued  at  the  pleasure  of  the 
government  to  bear  interest  at  the  rate  of  three  and  a 
half  per  cent,  per  annum,  and  the  residue  redeemed  at 
maturity. 


LOAN  NEGOTIATION  OF  1881  97 

This  plan  was  executed  as  follows:  On  April  11, 
1881,  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  issued  a  circular 
(No.  40)  calling  for  absolute  redemption  on  July  1, 
1881,  the  small  loan  issued  under  the  Act  of  March 
2,  1861  (Oregon  War  Debt,  $688,200)  ;  and  on  the 
same  day  circular  No.  42,  calling  for  payment  also  on 
July  1,  1881,  the  two  loans  of  July  17  and  August  5, 
1861,  and  March  3,  1863 :  but  to  the  holders  of  the 
bonds  of  the  two  latter  loans  permission  was  given  for 
the  continuance  of  the  bonds  at  three  and  a  half  per 
cent,  during  the  pleasure  of  the  government,  if  pre 
sented  at  the  Treasury  Department  for  that  purpose  on 
or  before  May  10,  1881.  The  time  for  presenting  the 
bonds  was  subsequently  extended  to  May  20, 1881 ;  and 
for  the  convenience  of  foreign  holders,  as  well  as  to 
prevent  a  probable  drain  of  coin  from  this  country,  an 
agency  was  established  in  London  for  the  exchange  of 
bonds.  Under  this  latter  circular  six  per  cent,  bonds 
amounting  to  $178,055,150  were  continued,  leaving  to 
be  paid,  from  the  surplus  revenues,  bonds  amounting 
only  to  $17,635,250.  As  soon  as  the  disposal  of  the 
six  per  cent,  bonds  was  practically  assured,  the  depart 
ment  on  May  12, 1881,  published  circular  No.  52,  call 
ing  for  redemption,  August  12, 1881,  the  coupon  bonds 
of  the  five  per  cent,  loan  of  July  14,  1870,  and  January 
20,  1871,  with  the  privilege  of  continuance  at  three  and 
a  half  per  cent. ;  and  at  the  same  time  offering  to 
receive  the  registered  bonds  of  that  loan  for  continu 
ance  in  like  manner  to  an  amount  not  exceeding 
$250,000,000.  The  remainder  of  the  loan  it  was  the 
intention  to  reserve  for  absolute  redemption,  but  in  con- 
7 


98  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

sequence  of  the  rapidity  with  which  the  bonds  were 
presented  for  continuance,  as  many  as  30,000,000 
being  presented  in  a  single  day,  it  was  found  to  be 
impracticable,  without  injustice  to  many  holders,  to 
strictly  maintain  the  limit  of  $250,000,000  ;  and  the 
amount  of  registered  five  per  cent,  bonds  continued  at 
the  lower  rate  was  therefore  somewhat  in  excess  of 
the  limit. 

The  amount  of  registered  and  coupon  bonds  contin 
ued  under  these  two  circulars  of  April  11  and  May  12, 
1881,  was  as  follows :  — 

Registered.  Coupon.  Total. 

July  and  Aug., '61  (6%)     103,625,700  23,971,500  127,597,200 

March  3,  1863  (6%)  43,111,000  7,346,950  50,457,950 
July  14,  1870,  and 

Jan.  20,  1871  (5%)        293,010,400  108,494,500  401,504,900 

$439,747,100  $139,812,950  $579,560,050 

The  amount  of  five  per  cent,  bonds  reserved  for 
payment  from  the  surplus  revenues  was  $38,306,350, 
and  the  amount  of  six  per  cents,  so  reserved,  as  stated 
before,  was  $17,635,250,  making  the  total  amount  to  be 
paid  from  the  surplus  $55,941,600. 

For  this  achievement  in  governmental  finance  there 
was  no  precedent,  and  the  announcement  of  the  Secre 
tary's  purpose  was  met  with  almost  universal  incredu 
lity.  The  total  cost  of  the  process  of  thus  converting 
government  loans  aggregating  more  than  $600,000,000 
bearing  five  and  six  per  cent,  interest,  into  a  uniform 
three  and  a  half  per  cent,  loan  running  at  the  pleasure 
of  the  government,  was  less  than  $2,000,  and  no  money 
whatever  was  taken  even  temporarily  from  the  chan- 


LOAN  NEGOTIATION  OF  1881  99 

nels  of  business  in  America  or  Europe.  The  general 
estimate  placed  upon  the  accomplishment  of  the  un 
dertaking,  after  it  had  become  history,  is  sufficiently 
indicated  by  the  accompanying  extracts  from  current 
expressions  by  leading  journals.  The  New  York  Trib 
une  summed  up  by  saying,  "  This  operation  will  rank 
as  the  greatest  and  most  creditable  financial  triumph  in 
history." 

The  Philadelphia  Press  said :  — 

"  Secretary  Windom  deserves  unstinted  praise  for 
the  initial  act  of  his  administration  of  the  national 
finances.  He  has  substantially  completed  the  refund 
ing  of  $195,000,000  six  per  cent,  bonds  without  any 
refunding  act,  without  the  intervention  of  banks  or 
syndicates,  without  paying  commissions  or  employing 
agents,  and  without  disturbing  the  business  of  the  coun 
try  in  the  smallest  degree.  So  quietly  and  cleverly  has 
his  brilliant  financial  conception  been  carried  into  effect 
that  the  country  scarcely  noted  anything  concerning  it 
except  the  publication  of  his  plan  and  the  announce 
ment  of  its  consummation.  So  complete  has  been  Mr. 
Windom's  success  that  even  his  critics  are  silent." 

The  Boston  Journal  remarked  that :  — 

"  At  any  other  time  and  in  any  other  country,  an 
administration  which  should  devise  and  carry  into  exe 
cution  so  important  and  so  remarkable  a  financial  pro 
ject  as  that  which  Mr.  Windom  has  undertaken  and 
completed  during  the  past  two  months  would  command 
the  attention  and  admiration  of  the  financial  world." 

The  Chicago  Tribune  concluded  an  article  on  the 
success  of  these  refunding  operations  by  saying  :  — 


100  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

"  Mr.  Windom  will  retire  from  the  Cabinet  after 
only  six  months'  service  with  a  reputation  which  will 
place  his  name  along  with  those  of  Hamilton,  Galla- 
tin,  Chase,  and  Sherman  in  the  history  of  American 
finance." 

The  New  York  Commercial  Advertiser  said  :  — 

"  Mr.  Windom  has  good  reason  to  be  proud  of  the 
success  that  has  attended  his  measure.  His  policy  had 
been  regarded  with  suspicion,  and  many  financiers  have 
predicted  its  failure,  but  it  has  worked  so  smoothly  and 
successfully  that  the  public  has  not  seemingly  been 
aware  that  anything  like  an  experiment  was  in  prog 
ress." 

The  Daily  Indicator  (New  York)  criticised  Mr. 
Windom's  plan,  and  predicted  its  failure  ;  but  the  same 
financial  paper  subsequently  admitted  its  success,  in 
the  following  words :  — 

"  It  cannot  be  denied  that  the  most  complete  success 
has  crowned  the  efforts  of  Secretary  Windom  to  per 
form  the  work  which  should  have  been  done  by  Con 
gress  before  its  adjournment  in  refunding  that  portion 
of  the  national  debt  maturing  or  becoming  redeemable 
during  the  present  summer.  That  Congress  did  not 
complete  its  refunding  schemes  there  is  every  reason  to 
be  thankful,  as  in  all  probability  it  would  not  have  done 
nearly  so  well  for  the  country  has  Secretary  Windom 
has  done." 

The  London  Economist,  the  highest  financial  author 
ity  in  Great  Britain,  said  :  — 

"  Secretary  Windom  is  to  be  complimented  upon  the 
ingenuity  of  his  scheme,  and  the  judgment  he  has 
shown  in  putting  it  into  execution." 


LOAN  NEGOTIATION  OF  1881  101' 

The  Public,  a  leading  financial  paper  of  New  York, 
said :  — 

"  The  success  of  Senator  Windom's  plan  cannot  be 
called  astonishing,  and  yet  no  triumph  so  remarkable 
has  ever  been  achieved  before  in  the  finances  of  this 
or  any  other  nation.  The  entire  simplicity  of  Mr. 
Windom's  plan  and  its  perfect  adaptation  of  means  to 
ends  have  made  results  which  would  have  been  called 
incredible  two  months  ago,  and  which  are  without  a 
parallel  in  the  world's  financial  history,  appear  per 
fectly  natural  and  easy  of  belief.  For  nine  days  the 
government  borrowed  over  $30,000,000  a  day  without 
withdrawing  as  much  as  a  single  dime  from  the  banks 
or  the  loan  market,  and  yet  this  unprecedented  feat 
does  not  excite  wonder." 

The  Buffalo  Express  affirmed  that :  — 

"  The  recent  feat  of  Secretary  Windom  in  refund 
ing  the  six  per  cents,  eclipses  not  only  everything  here 
tofore  done  by  our  own  treasury,  but  everything  re 
corded  in  the  financial  history  of  the  world." 

The  Springfield  Republican,  after  commenting  on 
Mr.  Windom's  success  in  refunding,  adds  :  — 

"  If  this  had  happened  in  France,  the  world  would 
have  resounded  with  the  splendor  of  French  financier- 
ing." 


<£b:torial  Comment^ 

THE  following  extracts  from  editorial  comments 
by  representative  journals,  upon  the  character 
and  career  of  Mr.  Windom,  serve  to  indicate  the 
unanimity  of  favorable  sentiment  on  the  part  of 
the  press  of  the  whole  country,  without  regard  to 
political  preferences.  The  letters  already  given, 
and  these  expressions,  which  might  be  indefi 
nitely  multiplied  here,  forcibly  illustrate  the  fact 
that  in  Mr.  Windom's  life  and  work  there  was 
that  which  was  above  and  beyond  the  zone  of 
partisan  interests,  and  which  commanded  the 
esteem  and  admiration  of  the  wisest  and  best  of 
his  countrymen  of  every  party  name :  — 

New  York  Tribune. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  a  man  of  marked  ability  and 
the  highest  character.  His  administration  has  been  wise 
and  conservative.  His  use  of  the  treasury  surplus  in 
the  purchase  of  bonds  in  time  of  monetary  stringency 
was  an  act  of  rare  wisdom.  His  last  annual  report 
was  a  document  showing  profound  knowledge,  and  the 
completest  familiarity  with  all  the  intricate  questions 
involved  in  our  national  finances. 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  103 

As  Senator  he  made  a  remarkable  reputation  as  a 
student  of  the  problem  of  transportation  when  he 
was  called  to  administer  the  treasury.  In  a  brief 
career  of  but  few  months  as  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 
under  President  Garfield,  he  achieved  a  triumph  which 
no  other  finance  minister  of  any  nation  has  ever 
achieved,  in  the  refunding  operations  of  1881,  and  it 
was  so  simple  and  yet  so  bold  and  original  that  it 
marked  him  at  once  as  a  man  of  extraordinary  gifts. 
The  fall  of  1881  tested  to  the  utmost  his  ability  to 
administer  the  Treasury  Department  wisely  with  refer 
ence  to  the  needs  of  a  great  commercial  nation,  and 
thus,  although  his  experience  had  been  short,  and  he 
had  been  only  a  little  time  in  high  administrative  office, 
his  selection  by  President  Harrison  was  welcomed  by 
the  business  community  as  a  guaranty  that  the  inter 
ests  of  the  nation  would  be  wisely  and  courageously 
guarded.  How  great  the  resources  he  brought  to  the 
relief  of  business,  in  times  of  peril  last  fall  and  winter, 
the  business  men  and  bankers  of  New  York  well  know, 
and  they  are  aware  that  few  public  men  have  equaled 
him  in  quick  understanding,  fertility  of  device,  or  reso 
lute  use  of  opportunities  for  the  public  good.  .  .  . 

New  York  Times. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  united  more  claims  to  the  confi 
dence  of  the  party  and  the  country  as  a  whole  than 
almost  any  one  else.  Our  readers  are  aware  that  with 
some  of  the  ideas  which  he  has  most  earnestly  supported 
we  have  found  it  impossible  to  agree.  But  in  his  ad 
ministration  of  the  treasury  at  both  times  that  he  has 


104  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

been  called  to  that  high  office,  we  have  been  glad  to  rec 
ognize  his  sincere  purpose  to  preserve  to  the  utmost  of 
his  ability  the  soundness  of  the  financial  system  of  the 
government,  to  keep  the  honor  of  the  nation  free  from 
stain,  and  the  full  performance  of  its  promises  free 
from  all  doubt.  .  .  . 

New  York  World. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  had  evinced  a  remarkable  talent 
for  financial  administration,  and  had  deserved  the 
thanks  of  the  community  for  his  efforts  and  achieve 
ments,  not  only  in  that  direction,  but  also  in  many 
other  lines  of  political  activity.  .  .  . 

New  York  Herald. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  The  skill  which  Mr.  Windom  displayed  in  ex 
tricating  the  Garfield  administration  from  the  neces 
sity  of  calling  an  extra  session  of  Congress,  to  provide 
for  a  maturing  issue  of  government  bonds,  excited  the 
admiration  of  financiers  everywhere.  It  was  charac 
teristically  simple  and  effective.  .  .  .  The  sharp  fall  in 
the  price  of  silver  in  London  yesterday  is  an  involun 
tary  tribute  to  the  force  and  cogency  of  the  arguments 
he  presented  a  few  minutes  before  his  death  against  an 
unlimited  coinage  of  silver  at  this  time.  No  man's 
reputation  is  quite  safe  in  Wall  Street,  and  it  is  a  high 
compliment  to  the  probity  of  Mr.  Windom  that  in 
financial  circles  yesterday  one  heard  on  every  hand 
the  statement  that  his  office  had  never  been  smirched 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  105 

with  a  suspicion  that  it  was  used  in  any  way  for  specu 
lative  or  personal  profit.  .  .  . 

New  York  Evening  Mail  and  Express. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  William  Windom's  fame  is  secure.  It  is  spot 
less.  It  is  based  on  great  achievements  and  on  a  career 
full  of  patriotic  endeavor.  .  .  .  The  national  emblem, 
flying  at  half-mast  from  the  flag-poles  of  all  our  great 
business  houses  along  Broadway  and  other  thorough 
fares  to-day,  shows  the  universal  esteem  and  respect 
in  which  the  late  Secretary  Windom  was  held  by  the 
mercantile  community.  .  .  . 

Philadelphia  Press. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  As  chairman  of  the  remarkable  Joint  Committee 
on  Transportation  to  the  Seaboard,  Mr.  Windom  gath 
ered  facts  and  laid  down  principles  which  have  pro 
foundly  affected  the  construction  of  public  works  and 
legislation  on  continental  traffic.  Twenty  years  ago, 
when  Mr.  Windom  took  up  this  work,  neither  the  Mis 
sissippi  jetties  nor  the  Sault  Canal  had  been  built,  and 
but  one  Pacific  and  three  trunk  lines  were  in  existence. 
The  relation  between  land  and  water  routes  was  wholly 
misunderstood,  and  the  need  of  the  latter  generally  de 
nied.  His  labors  transformed  the  opinion  of  that  small 
class  which  studies  these  questions,  and  gradually  leav 
ened  public  opinion.  The  steady  approach,  apparent 
on  all  sides,  toward  an  organized  system  of  railroads 
and  waterways  —  the  former  built  by  private  capital 


106  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

and  under  Federal  supervision,  and  the  latter  improved 
by  Federal  capital  but  left  free  as  to  rates  —  is  in  large 
measure  due  to  Mr.  Windom's  efforts.  Yet  these  ser 
vices  are  to-day  scarcely  remembered.  Twice  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  Mr.  Windom's  services  in  this  most 
important  post  stand  alone  in  the  public  eye.  In  his 
brief  term  he  refunded  $700,000,000  of  public  debt, 
for  whose  payment  he  had  been  left  without  resources, 
with  a  skill  which  attracted  attention  the  world  over. 
Imitated  but  not  equaled  by  Mr.  Goschen  last  year 
in  refunding  consols,  Mr.  Windom's  great  feat  is  one 
to  be  remembered  as  long  as  national  finance  is  dis 
cussed  by  financiers  and  national  debts  remain.  .  .  . 
Recalled  to  the  head  of  the  Treasury  Department  by 
President  Harrison,  he  has  had  no  one  great  task  for 
whose  discharge  luck  is  often  as  valuable  as  genius ; 
but  he  had,  instead,  to  deal  with  one  of  the  great 
panics  of  the  century.  The  skill  with  which  during 
the  past  year,  without  shock  or  break,  he  added 
$98,000,000  to  the  currency  in  circulation,  and  his 
success  in  preventing  a  dangerous  silver  inflation,  is 
little  likely  to  be  fully  appreciated  until  the  history  of 
his  administration  is  written  with  as  little  partisan 
feeling  as  attends  an  estimate  of  the  career  of  Hamil 
ton  or  of  Gallatin.  .  .  . 

Philadelphia  Public  Ledger. 

January  31,  1891. 

...  It  is  a  rare  thing  to  find  a  high  official  so  su 
premely  capable,  so  much  of  a  controlling  intellectual 
force,  as  William  Windom  was,  who  at  the  same  time 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  107 

had  so  strong  a  hold  upon  the  affectionate  goodwill 
of  other  men  of  all  degrees  and  in  all  places  as  he  had. 
It  was  this  which  gave  such  earnestness  and  visible 
sincerity  to  the  sorrow  that  was  everywhere  manifest 
yesterday  so  soon  as  the  story  of  his  death  became 

known.  .  .  . 

Philadelphia  Inquirer. 

January  30, 1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom's  record  was  clean,  his  private 
character  spotless  and  without  reproach,  his  political 
course  straight  and  consistent.  He  never  wavered  in 
his  duty  to  his  constituents  or  in  allegiance  to  his  party. 
His  judgment  was  embalmed  in  the  acts  which  form 
the  proudest  monuments  of  his  political  rule. 

Philadelphia  Evening  Telegraph. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  peculiarly  well  suited  to  en 
counter  the  difficulties  of  a  peculiar  situation,  and  he 
succeeded  in  dealing  with  these  difficulties  in  a  manner 
as  honorable  and  creditable  to  himself  as  advantageous 
to  the  people  ;  and  they  will  learn  more  and  more 
to  appreciate  his  services  and  to  respect  his  memory. 
How  greatly  the  community  is  indebted  to  his  personal 
power  may  be  better  understood  by  reflecting  what 
appalling  consequence  might  have  ensued  had  his  death 
occurred  two  months  ago.  It  would  almost  certainly 
have  precipitated  an  excitement  and  a  financial  revul 
sion  involving  incalculable  disasters.  He  alone  stood 
between  the  country  and  a  panic  of  ruinous  propor 
tions  ;  and  he  stood  like  a  rock,  commanding  the  con- 


108  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

fidence  of  all  men.  His  personal  integrity,  his  success 
ful  experience,  sound  judgment,  and  financial  sagacity 
inspired  implicit  trust,  and  in  that  trust  was  found  a 
refuge  and  safe  reliance  during  a  crisis  that  threatened 
widespread  destruction.  .  .  . 

Philadelphia  Record. 

.  .  .  This  is  a  time  for  sympathy,  rather  than  eulogy  ; 
yet  it  is  but  simple  justice  to  say  that  no  man  who  has 
been  honored  with  high  public  station  more  adorned 
his  office,  or  illustrated  in  a  higher  degree  the  virtues 
that  belong  to  the  patriot  and  the  statesman,  than  did 
William  Windom. 

Philadelphia  Evening  Herald. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  The  late  Secretary  was  a  wise  and  conservative 
statesman.  He  served  his  country  well,  and  his  man 
agement  of  the  treasury  has  been  marked  with  skill 
and  discretion. 

Philadelphia  Evening  Star. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  Some  of  the  commendations  of  departed  men 
of  distinguished  public  or  private  condition  are  insin 
cere,  on  the  principle  that  nothing  but  good  should  be 
spoken  of  the  dead ;  and  when  such  insincerity  displays 
itself,  it  is  always  understood  and  appreciated  at  its 
true  value.  But  nothing  of  that  kind  applies  in  the 
case  of  the  dead  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  The 
eulogies  upon  his  life  and  character  have  had  their 
origin  in  the  honest  desire  to  pay  honor  to  departed 
worth. 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  109 

Pittsburg  Leader. 

January  30,  1891. 

...  It  is  not  necessary  to  assert  the  principle  of  D& 
mortuis  nil  nisi  bonum  in  the  case  of  Mr.  Windom. 
Few  men  of  eminence  escape  the  tongue  of  calumny, 
but  the  late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  belonged  to  that 
few,  and  it  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that,  throughout  his 
long  tenure  of  office,  he  enjoyed  almost  entire  immu 
nity  from  the  aggressions  usually  incident  to  political 
activity  in  this  country.  No  further  testimony  than 
this  is  needed  to  establish  the  fact  that  William  Win 
dom  was  a  man  of  exceptional  integrity  and  purity  of 
life.  Add  to  this  that  he  was  a  publicist  for  the  sake 
of  the  public,  a  partisan  without  venom,  and  a  states 
man  without  charlatanry,  and  an  aggregate  merit  is 
presented  not  often  paralleled  in  the  annals  of  modern 
American  statesmanship.  Our  nation  is  not  ungrateful, 
and  it  may  be  said,  therefore,  with  all  sincerity,  that 
the  memory  of  this  great  and  useful  citizen  will  find 
an  enduring  monument  in  the  regard  of  the  American 

people. 

The  Pittsburg  Press. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Carrying  on  the  monetary  business  of  the  coun 
try  in  a  quiet,  unassuming  way,  Secretary  Windom  kept 
his  ledger  balanced,  and  did  all  for  the  country  that 
clear  money  managing  could  do. 

Boston  Daily  Advertiser. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  Whatever  may  have  been  individual  opinions  of 
the  soundness  of  Secretary  Windom's  financial  views,  no 


110  WILLIAM  WIND  OM 

one  will  now  deny  him  an  immensely  comprehensive 
grasp  on  the  monetary  problems  to  which  he  from  time 
to  time  gave  his  attention,  and  an  energy  in  following 
his  self-outlined  courses  which  was  indefatigable.  In 
the  broad  sense  of  the  word,  a  great  financier  is  gone, 
and  such  will  be  the  verdict  of  after-times. 

Boston  Journal. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  a  conspicuous  member  of  the 
group  of  strong  men  that  Ohio  has  given  to  the  public 
service  and  the  Republican  party.  He  united  in  a 
marked  degree  in  his  personality  the  buoyancy  and 
vigor  of  the  West  and  the  solid  conservatism  of  the 
East.  His  unusual  symmetry  of  character  made  him  an 
influential  figure  in  the  national  House  of  Representa 
tives  and  afterward  in  the  Senate,  and  caused  his  ap 
pointment  to  be  universally  applauded  when  he  was  se 
lected  for  the  important  duty  of  Secretary  of  the  Trea 
sury,  first  in  President  Garfield's  Cabinet,  and  then  in 
the  Cabinet  of  President  Harrison.  Unquestionably  Mr. 
Windom  has  been  one  of  the  main  pillars  of  the  pres 
ent  administration,  and  he  will  be  greatly  missed.  His 
conduct  through  the  difficulties  which  even  now  have 
not  ceased  to  overshadow  the  country  has  been  such  as 
to  win  for  him  the  profound  esteem  of  his  fellow-citi 
zens.  Even  those  who  have  had  to  disagree  with  him 
on  certain  features  of  his  recommendations  have  cheer 
fully  recognized  his  ability  and  integrity  and  his  deep 
sense  of  his  responsibilities.  One  of  the  chief  circum 
stances  that  have  enabled  us  to  come  thus  far  almost 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  111 

unscathed  among  the  perils  that  have  lately  environed 
us  has  been  the  knowledge  that  an  experienced,  capable, 
and  trustworthy  hand  was  on  the  helm  of  the  great 
Treasury  Department.  .  .  . 

Boston  Transcript. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Even  those  who  have  criticised  were  always 
willing  to  admit  Mr.  Windom's  integrity  of  inten 
tions,  and  vast  knowledge  of  the  details  of  finance. 

It  should  also  be  remembered,  to  the  credit  of  Mr. 
Windom,  that  he  was  an  unswerving  friend  of  civil 
service  reform,  and  notably  so  in  the  days  when  it  was 
struggling  for  a  hearing. 

Boston  Pilot. 

January  7,  1891. 

.  .  .  Secretary  Windom  was  justly  honored,  and  is 
deeply  mourned  as  a  brave,  wise,]honest,  patriotic  citi 
zen.  .  .  . 

Boston  Daily  Traveler. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  His  performance  of  the  delicate  and  responsi 
ble  duties  of  his  great  office,  during  the  perilous  crises 
through  which  the  country  has  been  recently  passing, 
has  been  such  as  to  win  for  him  the  admiration  of  busi 
ness  men  in  all  sections  of  the  country,  without  distinc 
tion  of  party. 


112  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

Boston  Courier. 

February  1,  1891. 

.  .  .  Such  an  ending  of  a  life  is  certainly  one  to  be 
envied,  when  one  departs  in  the  midst  of  honors,  full  of 
dignity,  and  at  the  very  moment  when  one  has  proved 
his  loyalty  to  the  course  of  honesty  and  public  well- 
being. 

Boston  Herald. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  Though  we  have  dissented  from  Mr.  Windom's 
views,  we  have  never  questioned  his  sincerity  and  patri 
otic  purpose  in  voicing  them. 

Chicago  Tribune. 

.  .  .  Secretary  Windom  neither  yielded  to  the  money 
kings  of  the  East,  nor  to  the  expansionists  of  the  West. 
His  financial  policy  was  wise,  prudent,  and  safe ;  and 
in  his  death  the  people  of  the  United  States  will  suffer 
a  loss  that  cannot  easily  be  repaired.  .  .  . 

Chicago  Inter  Ocean. 

February  1,  1891. 

.  .  .  William  Windom  was  one  of  the  many  who, 
without  any  educational  advantages  beyond  the  easy 
reach  of  all  save  the  boys  who  must  needs  help  support 
the  family,  achieved  the  highest  success  within  the 
rational  ambition  of  an  American  citizen.  .  .  .  No 
special  gift  was  his,  but  whatever  fell  to  his  lot  to  do 
he  did  well,  and  was  never  found  wanting,  intellectu 
ally  or  morally.  He  was  progressive,  rather  than  ag 
gressive  ;  able,  rather  than  brilliant ;  achieving  success 
by  fairly  deserving  it.  ... 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  113 

The  Evening  Star  (Washington). 

January  30,  1891. 

The  sudden  death  of  Secretary  Windom  startles  the 
country.  Dying  just  after  he  had  delivered  before  the 
New  York  Board  of  Trade  a  speech  of  great  power  on 
the  financial  question,  it  may  be  said  that  he  fell  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  and  died  in  harness.  The  blow 
to  the  administration  is  a  blow  which  falls  on  the 
American  people.  In  the  late  Secretary  of  the  Trea 
sury  the  republic  had  one  of  the  coolest,  wisest,  and 
strongest  counselors  and  one  of  the  soundest  adminis 
trators  of  financial  policy  ever  in  its  service.  Twice 
at  the  head  of  the  treasury,  he  had  displayed  signal 
force  in  moments  of  peril,  as  well  as  broad  sagacity  in 
the  general  outlines.  Full  of  resources  gathered  in  a 
long  and  active  career  in  both  houses,  Mr.  Windom 
came  to  President  Garfield's  Cabinet  prepared  for  the 
task  imposed  upon  him.  When  in  a  few  months  the 
executive's  untimely  death  interposed,  he  had  demon 
strated  his  capacity  for  directing  the  nation's  fiscal  af 
fairs.  When,  therefore,  after  an  interregnum  in  offi 
cial  duty,  Mr.  Windom  was  appointed  by  President 
Harrison  to  be  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  there  was 
general  confidence  that  the  portfolio  had  been  well  be 
stowed.  This  confidence  was  not  misplaced.  In  the 
crisis  raised  by  English  over-speculation  and  its  reac 
tion  on  Wall  Street,  following  a  strained  condition  in 
this  country  due  to  excessive  railway  building,  the 
Secretary's  grasp  of  the  situation  seemed  perfect,  and 
the  prompt,  decisive,  although  conservative  measures 


114  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

adopted  assisted  very  greatly  to  reduce  the  strain,  re 
store  confidence,  and  secure  a  return  to  normal  condi 
tions.  If  there  were  needed  a  monument  to  the  mem 
ory  of  the  dead  Secretary,  the  history  of  that  crisis 
would  alone  be  sufficient.  But  his  fame  will  rest,  not 
on  any  one  act  or  series  of  acts  in  official  life,  but  on 
the  general  powers  of  his  mind  and  the  aggregation 
of  his  services.  Happy  in  the  moment  of  exit  as  in 
his  conduct  on  the  stage  of  public  affairs,  he  fell  in 
the  full  light  of  public  approbation,  with  the  public 
applause  of  his  course  ringing  in  his  ears. 

Washington  Post. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom's  reappointment  to  the  position 
of  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  Mr.  Harrison  was 
generally  regarded  with  favor.  He  had  previously  at 
tracted  national  attention  by  his  refunding  policy,  and 
conservative  treatment  of  financial  questions.  Under 
the  present  administration  he  has  shown  that  the  con 
fidence  reposed  in  him  was  not  misplaced,  and  he  will 
rank  with  the  best  of  the  Secretaries  who  have  ever 
been  at  the  head  of  the  treasury.  In  private  life  he 
was  a  good  citizen,  and  both  his  public  and  private 
records  are  without  reproach. 

Troy  (N.  F.)  Daily  Times. 

...  A  model  American  statesman,  a  patriot  through 
and  through,  a  minister  of  finance  broad,  strong,  logical, 
and  successful,  was  Mr.  Windom,  to  be  classed  among 
the  most  illustrious  of  the  great  men  who  have  held 


EDITORIAL  COMMENTS  115 

the  high  Cabinet  position  he  filled  with  ability  second 
to  none,  and  honor  to  his  memory  imperishable. 

He  brought  to  every  task  his  full  energy,  and  all 
the  knowledge  it  was  possible  to  obtain.  Whatever 
problem  presented  itself,  he  grappled  with  it  earnestly, 
and  was  not  content  until  he  had  mastered  it.  Thus 
he  wrung  success  from  situations  which  to  many  an 
other  would  have  yielded  only  failure.  Of  tried  abil 
ity,  of  unquestioned  integrity,  he  lived  a  life  of  great 
activity  and  usefulness,  and  died  while  his  last  utter 
ances  upon  the  vital  questions  of  the  hour  had  not 
ceased  to  echo  in  the  ears  of  his  listeners.  For  dis 
tinguished  public  services  he  was  loved  and  honored 
while  living.  Dead,  he  is  deeply  and  sincerely  mourned 
because  the  nation  has  lost  one  of  its  best  and  most 
valued  citizens,  because  the  people  have  lost  a  steadfast 
friend. 

Brooklyn  Daily  Times. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  There  are  other  men  in  public  life  as  able  as  Mr. 
Windom,  though  few  as  experienced.  But  there  is  not 
one  who  can  command  to  an  equal  degree  the  confi 
dence  of  both  the  schools  of  political  economy  which 
are  now  contending  over  the  settlement  of  the  silver 
problem. 

Albany  Evening  Journal. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  William  Windom  was  a  financier  worthy  to  rank 
with  Hamilton,  Gallatin,  and  Chase,  although  no  great 
crisis  such  as  made  the  fame  of  those  historic  names 
may  hand  his  down  to  posterity.  And  yet  in  equip- 


116  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

ment,  genius,  and  experience  he  was  the  peer  of  all  his 
predecessors.  In  breadth  of  vision,  originality  of  con 
ception,  and  power  to  execute,  he  made  his  mark  on 
the  financial  policy  of  the  United  States.  .  .  . 

Albany  Daily  Press. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  The  appallingly  sudden  death  of  Secretary  Win- 
dom  removes  a  man  in  whom  the  whole  nation,  irrespec 
tive  of  party  or  section,  reposed  a  confidence  which  was 
the  natural  creation  of  his  sound  judgment,  eminent 
ability,  and  superb  integrity.  He  was  the  ideal  stew 
ard,  competent  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  exalted 
trust,  a  statesman  of  the  highest  order,  without  being 
a  politician  in  the  common  sense,  a  patriot,  not  a  parti 
san  —  a  good  and  faithful  servant  of  the  republic.  .  .  . 

The  Christian  Union  (N.  Y.}. 

February  5,  1891. 

.  .  .  Fortunately,  this  great  loss  to  the  administration 
has  taken  place  after  the  Secretary  had  passed  through 
a  financial  crisis,  in  common  with  the  country,  and 
had  wielded  his  vast  power  with  signal  wisdom.  On 
his  judgment  more  than  on  that  of  any  other  person 
did  the  financial  world  here  depend  for  the  avoidance 
of  a  great  calamity,  and  he  was  found  equal  to  the 
situation.  We  may  be  thankful  indeed  that  so  large  a 
man  in  capacity  filled  the  position  of  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  in  such  a  critical  emergency.  He  made  no 
mistakes,  and  his  resources  seemed  exhaustless.  He 
dies  stainless  in  reputation,  and  deeply  respected  by 
all  parties  and  classes  of  men.  .  .  . 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  117 

New  York  Evangelist. 

February  5,  1891. 

.  .  .  But  not  only  was  Mr.  Windom  a  man  of  so 
much  natural  sweetness,  he  was  a  man  of  great  force 
of  character,  uniting  ability  with  energy,  clearness  of 
mind  with  strength  of  will.  With  no  early  advan 
tages,  except  such  as  any  country  boy  might  have,  he 
had  not  reached  the  age  of  manhood  before  he  began  to 
feel  conscious  of  a  man's  strength  and  power,  which 
imposed  upon  him  the  duty  to  do  a  man's  work  in  the 
world.  He  did  not  enter  the  army,  yet  no  soldier  ever 
fought  the  battle  of  life  more  bravely.  He  belonged 
to  the  noble  army  of  workers  who  are  the  real  benefac 
tors  of  their  race.  He  was  in  his  youthful  prime  when 
he  entered  the  public  service,  in  which  he  continued, 
with  but  six  years'  interruption,  to  the  end.  Strong  in 
body  as  well  as  in  mind,  he  could  bear  the  strain  of  con 
tinued  labor  as  few  men  can  ;  and  the  amount  of  work 
he  did  would  frighten  those  who  think  that  to  hold  an 
office  is  to  have  an  easy  time  of  it,  taking  the  honor 
while  others  perform  the  labor.  His  associates  in  the 
treasury  tell  us  that  the  man  in  the  whole  department 
who  worked  the  hardest  was  the  one  at  the  head  of  it. 
And  thus,  taking  all  burdens  upon  his  stalwart  shoul 
ders,  he  toiled  like  a  giant  to  the  very  last. 

No  one,  whether  accepting  or  rejecting  his  views, 
ever  doubted  for  a  moment  the  honesty  of  his  purposes, 
or  his  thorough  apprehension  of  the  situation.  His 
firm  and  adequate  grasp  of  affairs  was  never  more  sig 
nally  manifest  than  in  the  recent  financial  crisis,  when 
the  country  owed  so  much  to  the  promptitude  and  effi 
cacy  of  his  measures.  .  .  . 


118  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

Harper's  Weekly. 

.  .  .  The  sudden  death  of  Secretary  Windom  pro 
foundly  impresses  the  country  ;  and  yet  such  a  death, 
immediate  and  painless,  just  as  wise  views  of  a  great 
and  pressing  public  question  had  been  ably  expressed, 
with  a  touching  tone  of  timely  warning,  must  be  re 
garded  for  the  dead  as  an  euthanasia,  although  for  the 
living  the  shock  is  tragical.  .  .  .  There  was  universal 
confidence  in  the  ability  and  fairness  and  high  integrity 
of  Secretary  Windom.  He  was  a  man  of  great  public 
experience  and  conservative  moderation  of  tempera 
ment.  His  mind  was  hospitable  to  new  ideas,  but  it 
was  not  erratic  or  unwisely  impulsive.  His  official  dis 
cretion  was  great,  and  his  death  at  this  moment  is  a 
serious  public  loss. 

The  Independent  (N.  Y.). 

February  5,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  a  man  of  solid  acquirements, 
sound  and  well-balanced  judgment,  and  so  self-con 
tained  that  no  panic  of  opinion  could  have  swept  him 
from  his  feet.  .  .  .  His  experience,  combined  with  his 
mental,  moral,  and  personal  qualities,  admirably  fitted 
him  for  a  position  which  requires  great  clearness  of 
brain,  sincerity  of  conviction,  and  strength  of  nerve, 
particularly  in  a  time  like  the  present.  .  .  . 

Frank  Leslie's  Illustrated  Weekly. 

.  .  .  Secretary  Windom  had  won  a  world-wide  rep 
utation  for  his  conservatism,  ability,  and  financial  skill. 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  119 

He  never  hesitated  to  grapple  with  a  financial  problem, 
no  matter  how  complicated  and  threatening  it  might  be, 
and  the  business  interests  of  the  conservative  sections 
of  the  country  looked  to  him  with  hopeful  eyes,  in 
view  of  the  aggressive  demand  of  parts  of  the  coun 
try  for  free  silver  and  an  almost  unlimited  currency. 
That  Mr.  Windom,  had  he  lived,  would  have  met  this 
movement  bravely  and  successfully,  we  cannot  doubt. 
His  death  is  a  loss  not  only  to  the  administration,  but 
also  to  the  whole  country.  As  his  record  is  recalled 
it  will  entitle  him  to  rank  with  the  ablest  of  his  pre 
decessors  to  whom  the  treasury  portfolio  has  been 

intrusted. 

Baltimore  American. 

February  2,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  an  honest  man,  an  able  states 
man,  and  a  useful  citizen,  and  he  served  his  country 
long  and  well.  .  .  . 

Baltimore  Daily  News. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  He  was  an  able  officer  and  patriotic  citizen  ;  his 
loss  will  be  severely  felt  by  the  administration,  of  which 
he  was  an  adviser,  and  his  death  will  be  viewed  with 
unfeigned  regret  by  men  of  all  parties  and  sections  of 
the  republic. 

Evening  Sun  (N.  Y.). 

January  30, 1891. 

.  .  .  However  men  may  differ  from  the  late  Secre 
tary  on  his  views  of  policy,  it  was  felt  that  his  training 
and  conservative  habit  of  mind  combined  to  make  great 
public  interests  safe  in  his  hands. 


120  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

New  York  Daily  News. 

January  31,  1891. 

...  In  the  death  of  Secretary  Windom  the  Re 
publican  party  has  lost  one  of  its  wisest  and  most 
conservative  counselors,  and  the  country  has  lost  a 
broad-minded,  patriotic  citizen,  who,  irrespective  of  his 
politics,  was  an  honor  to  the  nation.  .  .  . 

Philadelphia  Evening  Telegraph. 

February  4,  1891. 

...  So  long  as  he  was  living,  Mr.  Windom  was  crit 
icised  by  the  other  party,  after  the  fine,  free,  and  frank 
fashion  of  the  country.  But  now  that  he  is  dead  there 
is  no  dispraise  of  him  heard ;  political  friends  do  not 
commend  his  official  and  personal  life  more  than  do 
his  enemies.  They  have  all,  by  a  common  impulse,  as 
it  were,  agreed  to  testify  to  his  worth  as  an  official  arid 
as  a  citizen  of  the  Great  Republic.  They  have  done 
this,  not  because  it  is  forbidden  to  speak  ill  of  the 
dead,  but  because  they  all  perceive  that  his  life  was 
so  free  from  offense  that  there  is  no  ill  to  speak  of 
him.  Being  dead,  everybody  frankly  recognizes  the 
fine  integrity  of  his  character  and  pays  tribute  to  it. 
It  is,  of  course,  unfortunate  that  every  servant  of  the 
country  must  die  in  order  that  he  may  be  justly  spoken 
of ;  but  it  shows  that  the  American  people  are  not 
wholly  bad  when  they  can,  even  too  late  for  the  subject 
to  hear  of  it,  freely  acknowledge  his  worth  and  use 
fulness.  The  common,  universal  praise  of  Secretary 
Windom,  the  general  regret  which  has  been  expressed 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  121 

regarding  his  death,  have  been  highly  creditable  to  the 
people  of  this  country  ;  but  they  would  have  been  in 
finitely  more  creditable  if  they  had  been  expressed 
while  he  was  living,  and  oppressed  by  the  difficulties  of 
his  great  office.  A  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  needs 
to  be  a  man  of  more  than  ordinary  ability  and  probity. 
Secretary  Windom  was,  as  everybody  now  concedes, 
precisely  that  kind  of  man. 

New  York  Press. 

February  3,  1891. 

The  late  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  William  Win 
dom,  was  noted  among  his  friends  for  two  character 
istics.  He  had  a  kindly  nature.  He  had  a  judicial 
character.  The  first  made  him  a  lovable  man,  a  de 
voted  husband,  a  model  father.  The  second  gave  him 
the  power,  which  he  wielded  as  the  head  of  the  trea 
sury,  to  look  at  both  sides  of  every  question  which 
presented  itself  to  him,  and  make  a  decision  as  nearly 
impartial  as  it  is  possible  for  a  human  being  to  make. 
.  .  .  The  extraordinary  circumstances  of  Mr.  Win- 
dom's  death,  with  the  plaudits  just  earned  by  the  most 
brilliant  speech  of  his  life  still  ringing  in  his  ears, 
awaken  such  unusual  interest  in  those  last  masterly 
periods  as  to  make  it  likely  that  his  dying  plea  for  his 
country's  prosperity  will  rank  among  the  notable  ora 
tions  of  her  history.  And  this  not  by  attaching  a  fic 
titious  or  morbid  value  to  the  speech,  but  by  directing 
to  it  the  general  attention  and  appreciative  study  that 
it  deserves. 

Secretary  Windom's  dying  speech  ought  for  the  next 
five  weeks  to  be  the  bible  of  every  Republican  member 
of  Congress. 


122  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

Watt  Street  Daily  News. 

.  .  .  There  has  been  no  shock  touching  the  business 
and  political  interests  of  the  country  greater  than  that 
following  the  startling  and  tragic  death  of  Secretary 
William  Windom.  It  has  been  the  singular  good  for 
tune  of  our  government  to  have  had  the  services,  as  min 
ister  of  finance,  from  the  time  of  Alexander  Hamilton 
down  to  Mr.  Windom,  of  men  of  signal  ability,  broad 
views,  wide  comprehension,  and  an  integrity  which  for 
bade  their  making  profit  out  of  their  position.  There 
is  certainly  no  other  nation  in  the  world  which  can 
point  to  a  line  of  succession  which  scandal  has  tried  in 
vain  to  smirch,  and  which  has  always  proved  able  to 
meet  any  emergency,  though  some  have  arisen  which 
would  have  appalled  any  man  not  imbued  with  profound 
patriotism  and  confidence  in  the  great  American  people. 
Chase  was  the  father  of  the  legal  tender,  Sherman  the 
master  of  resumption  of  specie  payments,  Windom  the 
author  and  successful  agent  of  a  refunding  scheme  at 
which  a  minister  with  the  resources  of  Europe  at  his 
command  would  have  quailed.  .  .  . 

New  York  World. 

February  3,  1891. 

In  1874  the  West  was  dominated  by  the  Grange, 
and  many  laws  hostile  to  railroads  were  enacted  by 
state  legislatures.  An  effort  was  made  to  bring  all  the 
railroads  of  the  country  within  the  grasp  of  a  drastic 
federal  statute,  and  to  make  the  United  States  govern 
ment  the  general  regulator  of  freight  charges.  In  this 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  123 

emergency  Mr.  Windom  was  made  the  chairman  of  a 
Congressional  committee  charged  with  the  duty  of  in 
vestigating  the  whole  subject  of  the  business  of  trans 
portation  from  the  interior  to  the  seaboard.  Mr.  Win- 
dom's  report  is  a  monument  to  his  indefatigable  labor. 
It  effectually  put  an  end  to  the  movement  to  give  to 
the  government  control  of  the  railroads  of  the  country. 
It  so  fully  displayed  the  intricacy  of  the  business  that, 
ever  since  it  was  published,  the  most  eager  enemies  of 
the  corporations  have  hesitated  as  to  the  policy  of  put 
ting  politicians  in  charge  of  it.  ... 

Mr.  Windom's  position  in  the  present  Cabinet  has 
been  that  of  a  sane  bimetalist,  and  his  loss  is  therefore  a 
serious  one  to  the  conservative  interests  of  the  country. 
Mr.  Windom's  career  is  one  well  worthy  to  be  remem 
bered.  Many  of  its  features  will  give  to  those  whom 
he  has  left  behind  him  cause,  not  merely  for  satisfac 
tion,  but  for  pride.  He  quits  the  world  in  the  prime 
of  his  strength,  and  when  he  was  an  important  factor 
in  a  great  national  problem. 

Cleveland  Leader  and  Herald. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Every  public  man  of  Mr.  Windom's  stamp  is 
needed  in  the  service  of  the  people,  and  never  more 
than  now.  He  has  fallen  as  a  leader  stricken  down 
in  battle,  and  in  the  most  stirring  rush  of  the  great 
struggle  now  going  on  between  the  true  and  the  false 
in  national  finance. 


124  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

Cleveland  Plaindealer. 

January  31,  1891. 

The  late  Secretary  Windom  was  a  strong  party  man, 
but  it  is  pleasant  to  note  the  unanimity  with  which 
men  of  all  parties  testify  to  his  good  qualities  and  ex 
press  their  heartfelt  sorrow  at  his  death.  .  .  .  The  spon 
taneous  and  sincere  tributes  of  friendship  and  esteem 
for  the  late  Secretary  coming  from  his  political  oppo 
nents  illustrate  anew  the  words  of  the  late  General 
Garfield  on  a  kindred  occasion :  "  The  flowers  that 
grow  over  the  garden  walls  of  party  politics  are  the 
sweetest  and  most  fragrant  that  bloom  in  the  gardens 
of  this  world." 

Cincinnati  Commercial  Gazette. 

January  30, 1891. 

...  In  the  service  of  his  State  and  of  the  nation, 
in  both  halls  of  Congress  and  in  the  Cabinet,  in  every 
situation,  Mr.  Windom  was  earnest,  faithful,  steady, 
courageous,  and  strong. 

Detroit  Times. 

January  30,  1891. 

The  sudden  death  of  Secretary  Windom  deprives 
the  nation  of  the  presence,  influence,  and  magnificent 
public  services  of  a  great  financier,  and  one  against 
whose  name  and  fame  there  stands  no  mark  of  dis 
honor.  He  was  a  strong,  upright  man,  keenly  intent 
on  the  public  welfare.  At  every  hour  of  the  long  years 
of  his  trust  at  the  head  of  the  nation's  funds,  he  has 
been  wise,  alert,  and  masterful.  .  .  . 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  125 

Detroit  Tribune. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom's  private  life  has  been  blameless, 
and  his  public  services  have  been  of  the  most  distin 
guished  character.  He  was  successful  both  in  business 
and  politics  ;  and  in  legislative  and  executive  capaci 
ties  he  had  established  a  reputation  for  statesmanship 
of  a  high  order,  and  for  unimpeachable  personal  and 
political  integrity. 

St.  Louis  Globe-Democrat. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  will  hold  a  place  among  the  half- 
dozen  ablest  and  most  successful  men  who  have  been 
at  the  head  of  the  financial  arm  of  the  government. 
His  funding  operations  in  1881,  when  he  had  charge 
of  the  Treasury  Department  in  the  Garfield  adminis 
tration,  and  his  earnest  and  not  altogether  fruitless 
endeavors  in  the  past  two  years  to  solve  the  silver 
problem,  have  gained  for  him  a  claim  to  the  grateful 
and  lasting  remembrance  of  his  country. 

St.  Louis  Post  Dispatch. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Secretary  Windom  was  a  well-versed,  watchful, 
and  efficient  manager  of  the  treasury  ;  both  under  Gar- 
field  and  under  Harrison  he  proved  himself  fertile  in 
resources  and  bold  in  applying  them.  .  .  . 


126  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

The  Bankers'  Monthly. 

Chicago. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom,  adding  to  previous  great  services, 
had  successfully  steered  the  country  through  the  long 
monetary  stringency  of  1890,  and  the  panic  of  its  clos 
ing  months,  and  had  earned  the  good  will  and  gratitude 
of  the  whole  nation  for  his  skill  and  patriotism,  evin 
cing  courage  of  the  highest  order,  and  confidence  in 
the  country  and  her  resources  far  beyond  ordinary 
men,  and  could  look  forward  to  the  continued  grati 
tude  of  the  people.  .  .  . 

Maine  State  Press. 

February  5, 1891. 

.  .  .  Men  of  wisdom  and  sober  judgment,  whose 
minds  are  so  well  informed  that  the  follies  of  the  hour 
and  the  clamors  of  demagogues  and  the  desire  for 
office  cannot  lead  them  astray,  are  not  so  plenty  that 
the  loss  of  one  is  not  a  national  loss.  While  the  death 
of  Mr.  Windom  at  this  time  is  a  misfortune  for  the 
whole  country,  it  is  peculiarly  so  for  the  administration 
of  President  Harrison.  His  ability  as  a  financier  and 
character  as  a  man  commanded  the  respect  of  the  great 
financial  circles  upon  which  so  much  of  the  business 
prosperity  of  the  country  depends. 

Charleston  (S.  C.)  Daily  Sun. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  one  of  the  most  valued  mem 
bers  of  President  Harrison's  Cabinet,  and  his  death  is 
a  serious  loss  to  the  administration.  Almost  his  entire 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  127 

life  has  been  spent  in  the  public  service,  and  his  ability 
as  a  financier  was  unquestioned.  He  was  a  man  who 
had  the  courage  of  his  convictions.  .  .  .  Personally  he 
was  a  man  of  such  a  pleasant  and  amiable  disposition 
that  he  endeared  himself  to  all  with  whom  he  came  in 
contact,  and  his  friends  were  confined  to  no  political 
party.  The  news  of  his  death  will  be  heard  with  sor 
row  everywhere  ;  and  his  family  will  have  the  sympa 
thy  of  every  one  in  this  their  time  of  affliction. 

Richmond  (Fa.)  Dispatch. 

January  31,  1891. 

.  .  .  Men  of  all  parties  will  join  in  honoring  Mr. 
Windom's  public  services  and  personal  worth,  and  the 
stricken  wife  and  family  will  receive  the  sympathy  of 
all  good  people. 

San  Francisco  Pacific. 

February  4,  1891. 

William  Windom  was  one  of  the  choice  men  of  our 
land.  He  was  nearly  a  model  man  in  all  the  relations 
of  life.  Alike  in  his  public  and  private  walks,  he  was 
without  reproach.  .  .  .  While  we  are  saddened  by  his 
being  taken  away,  we  may  be  grateful  to  God  for  the 
presence  and  power  of  such  a  man  through  so  many 
years. 

Daily  Evening  Bulletin  (San  Francisco). 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  By  virtue  of  his  known  opinions  and  ability, 
President  Harrison  selected  Mr.  Windom  as  his  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury.  The  financial  history  of  his  ad- 


128  WILLIAM    WINDOM 

ministration,  especially  of  the  last  year,  vindicated  his 
choice.  Mr.  Windom's  liberal  use  of  the  treasury  sur 
plus  during  the  recent  money  stringency  undoubtedly 
prevented  a  financial  disaster.  His  death  is  a  serious 
embarrassment  to  the  administration  at  a  time  when 
the  financial  situation  needs  wise  and  firm  considera 
tion  and  action.  A  strong  man  has  been  cut  down  in 
the  midst  of  his  usefulness,  when  he  could  least  be 
spared. 

Mt.  Vernon  (Ohio)  Republican. 

The  death  of  Secretary  Windom  was  a  great  shock 
to  the  country  and  a  serious  blow  to  the  administration. 
He  was  one  of  the  safest  and  most  conservative  finan 
ciers  in  the  land,  and  enjoyed  the  respect  and  confi 
dence  of  the  business  world.  As  United  States  Senator 
and  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  he  has  rendered  great 
service  to  his  country,  and  his  name  will  ever  be  re 
vered  among  Americans  as  a  loyal  and  patriotic  states 
man  and  as  a  financial  pillar  of  great  strength.  As  a 
private  citizen  and  as  a  public  officer,  Mr.  Windom  was 
alike  estimated  and  respected.  None  loved  him  so 
well  as  those  who  knew  him  best,  and  throughout  his 
long  public  career  no  transaction  of  his,  public  or  pri 
vate,  has  been  tainted  or  viewed  with  suspicion.  He 
was  one  of  nature's  noblemen,  and  his  death  casts  gen 
eral  gloom  over  the  country. 

Denver  Times. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom's  administration  of  the  Treasury 
Department  was  conservative  and  able.  He  was  the 
leader  in  the  school  of  finance  that  would  proceed  cau- 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  129 

tiously  to  the  adoption  of  the  double  standard.  The 
West  did  not  always  indorse  his  policy,  but  ever 
respected  his  opinions  and  believed  in  his  patriotism. 
The  great  minister  of  finance,  whose  career  closed  so 
suddenly  and  so  dramatically,  was  indeed  equal  to 
every  public  trust  committed  to  him,  and  was  true  to 
all  the  obligations  of  private  life. 

Springfield  (Mass.)  Republican. 

.  .  .  As  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  a  second 
time,  Mr.  Windom  had  won  the  respect  of  the  people 
in  a  marked  degree.  No  member  of  the  administration 
has  discharged  the  duties  of  his  office  to  greater  and 
more  general  satisfaction  than  had  he,  and  he  held  this 
important  post  at  perhaps  as  trying  a  time  financially 
as  had  been  experienced  since  the  resumption  of  specie 
payments.  .  .  . 

7mA  World. 

February  7,  1891. 

...  As  United  States  Senator  and  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  Mr.  Windom  had  achieved  a  reputation  that 
deservedly  placed  him  among  the  foremost  of  Ameri 
can  statesmen. 

Independent  Statesman  (Concord,  N.  7T.). 

February  5,  1891. 

.  .  .  He  honored  his  State,  his  country,  and  himself 
by  his  public  services,  and  his  death  is  a  public  loss. 


130  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

Chicago  Star-Sayings. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  one  of  the  few  men  who  have 
succeeded  in  studying  finance,  and  really  grasping  the 
main  points  in  dispute  and  debate  with  regard  to  it. 
His  service  to  his  nation  was  long  and  faithful,  and  he 
was  an  honor  to  the  party  which  was  proud  to  claim 
him  as  a  member.  There  is  no  need  in  this  case  to 
act  on  the  policy  "  of  the  dead,  nothing  unless  it  is 
good."  Mr.  Windom's  public  career  is  known  far  and 
wide,  and  his  private  life  was  above  suspicion  and 
without  reproach.  It  matters  not  whether  his  views 
were  exactly  those  most  popular  in  the  West ;  the 
country  has  lost  a  great  and  good  man,  and  the  Repub 
lican  party  has  lost  an  able  leader  and  adviser. 

Milwaukee  Daily  News. 

...  In  whatever  position  he  has  been  placed,  Mr. 
Windom  has  discharged  its  duties  with  ability  and 
credit  to  himself  and  constituency. 

Milwaukee  Sentinel. 

February  2,  1891. 

.  .  .  Perhaps  nobody  has  foreseen  as  Mr.  Windom 
did  the  future  of  water  transportation  in  the  United 
States.  .  .  .  He  outlined  what  will  one  day  be  realized, 
—  a  general  development  of  waterways  that  will  reduce 
the  cost  of  transportation,  and  enable  the  United  States, 
with  its  ever-increasing  agricultural  products,  to  com 
mand  the  world's  markets  in  the  face  of  all  possible 
competition  from  India  and  the  agricultural  regions  of 
South  America.  .  .  . 


EDITORIAL   COMMENTS  131 

Kansas  City  Star. 

January  30,  1891. 

...  As  a  financier  Secretary  Windom  will  occupy  a 
prominent  place,  and  even  those  who  are  not  in  har 
mony  with  his  ideas  in  relation  to  the  money  question 
will  be  ready  to  adm  that  he  was  a  fine  type  of  an 
American  citizen,  and  that  the  country  sustains  a  great 
loss  by  reason  of  his  untimely  death. 

Missouri  Statesman. 

February  4,  1891. 

.  .  .  We  did  not  have  part  nor  lot  in  his  political 
relations,  nor  share  his  convictions  of  public  money. 
He  was  a  Republican  and  we  are  a  Democrat.  Yet  we 
are  free  to  say  that  the  recent  death  of  no  public  man 
touched  us  more  deeply  or  is  more  sincerely  regretted 
than  the  death  of  Secretary  Windom.  .  .  .  Respectful, 
tolerant,  and  conservative,  William  Windom  was  a 
Christian  gentleman,  as  well  as  a  high  and  able  official 
in  President  Harrison's  Cabinet. 

Louisville  Courier-Journal. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  served  long  in  public  life,  and 
both  as  Cabinet  officer  and  as  legislator  made  an  envia 
ble  reputation  for  earnestness  and  honesty. 

Louisville  (Ky-}  Commercial. 

...  He  died  in  the  spirit  of  devotion  to  his  country 
as  truly  as  ever  soldier  died  on  the  battle-field. 

Covington  (•&/•)  Extra. 

February  2,  1891. 

.  .  .  Many  years  spent  in  the  difficulties  and  compli 
cations  of  high  and  responsible  positions  have  left  neither 


132  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

taint  nor  stain,  nor  even  a  suggestion  of  either,  on  the 
honored  name  of  Secretary  Windom.  .  .  .  It  is  a  mel 
ancholy  pleasure  now  to  see  that  virtues  such  as  these 
are  able  to  obliterate  all  party  lines,  and  hush  all  clash 
ing  differences  for  the  time  being  in  the  right  with 
which  they  claim  the  undivided  honor  of  the  American 
public.  This  has  been  given  generally  and  deservedly 
by  all  sections,  by  all  classes,  all  parties.  It  is  the  last 
and  crowning  distinction  with  which  the  name  of  Sec 
retary  Windom  will  descend  to  posterity. 

New  Orleans  Daily  Picayune. 

February  1,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  established  a  name  for  soundness 
of  judgment  and  financial  ability  that  were  all  his  own, 
and  which  made  him  play  a  most  conspicuous  part  dur 
ing  the  financial  troubles  which  convulsed  the  commer 
cial  world  during  the  present  winter.  .  .  . 

New  Orleans  Times  Democrat. 

January  30,  1891. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  has  proved  himself  a  safe  and  con 
servative  Secretary  during  the  two  years  he  has  pre 
sided  in  the  treasury. 

New  Orleans  Republican. 

February  6,  1891. 

The  death  of  Secretary  Windom  has  removed  from 
among  American  statesmen  one  in  whom  the  whole 
country  reposed  the  greatest  confidence.  Mr.  Win- 
dom's  career  as  a  financial  head  of  this  government 
has  been  marked  by  a  careful  and  conservative  policy 
that  recommended  his  sound  judgment  to  the  whole 
people. 


from  <£tiitorialg  in 


THE  following  expressions  are  extracted  from  edito 
rials  in  Minnesota  papers  :  — 

Winona  Daily  Republican. 

January  30,  1891. 

To  say  that  the  intelligence  of  Mr.  Windom's  death 
received  at  an  early  hour  this  morning  was  stunning  in 
its  effect  upon  the  sensibilities,  but  feebly  expresses  the 
nature  of  the  shock  to  his  personal  friends  in  Winona, 
and,  indeed,  it  may  be  added  with  truth,  to  the  com 
munity  of  his  former  townsmen  in  general.  His  public 
duties  had  for  many  years  compelled  a  residence  at 
Washington,  so  that  he  was  only  at  intervals  seen  in 
Winona,  and  the  younger  generation  accordingly  knew 
but  little  of  him  personally.  His  public  record,  how 
ever,  —  his  splendid  achievements  in  administering  the 
financial  department  of  the  government  under  two 
Presidents,  and  scarcely  less  his  unsullied  private 
character,  —  rendered  him  in  one  sense  familiar  to  all, 
and  the  esteem  and  respect  in  which  he  was  held  by 
those  whom  he  still  regarded  as  his  townsmen  and  neigh 
bors  was,  and  continues  to  be,  of  the  most  sincere  and 
exalted  nature.  .  .  . 

No  man  in  our  public  life  was  ever  more  highly  es- 


134  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

teemed  for  his  private  worth  as  well  as  for  the  value  of 
his  public  services  ;  and  now  that  he  has  passed  from 
the  stage  of  action,  those  whom  we  have  been  accus 
tomed  to  regard  as  his  political  enemies  are  among  the 
first  to  give  heartfelt  acknowledgment  of  the  fact.  .  .  . 
To  the  administration,  the  death  of  Mr.  Windom  at 
this  critical  juncture  comes  as  a  peculiarly  severe  blow. 
By  the  country  at  large  it  will  be  regarded  with  pro 
found  sorrow.  The  people  of  Minnesota  especially 
will  mourn  the  loss  of  one  who  was  devoted  to  their 
interests,  and  who  has  shed  lustre  upon  the  State  in 
every  capacity  in  which  he  has  represented  it. 

Winona  Daily  Herald. 

January  30,  1891. 

The  greatest  citizen  Winona  ever  had,  the  greatest 
citizen  of  Minnesota,  one  of  the  greatest  of  the  nation, 
is  no  more.  Secretary  Windom  is  dead.  His  many 
friends  in  the  city  received  the  news  this  morning  with 
blanched  faces  and  tearful  eyes.  .  .  .  William  Windom 
was  one  of  the  giants  of  this  generation.  His  fame  was 
not  confined  to  his  State,  nor  even  to  the  nation  ;  it  was 
world-wide.  He  has  been  a  central  figure  in  national 
affairs  for  thirty  years,  and  in  1880  was  the  universal 
choice  of  Minnesota  for  the  Presidency.  As  the  Sec 
retary  of  the  Treasury  under  President  Garfield,  his 
financial  ability  was  made  manifest.  When  President 
Harrison  chose  him  for  the  portfolio  of  the  treasury, 
the  nation  knew  it  could  not  be  in  better  hands. 

To-day  Minnesota  mourns  her  greatest  citizen.  The 
grief  will  be  sincere  and  universal.  But  his  life  is  be 
fore  us.  Let  us  try  to  emulate  his  virtues  and  his 
patriotism. 


EDITORIALS  IN  MINNESOTA  JOURNALS    135 

Minneapolis  Tribune. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  an  admirably  balanced  man,  — 
great  in  brain,  great  in  heart,  great  in  sagacity,  great 
in  practical  application.  There  was  no  erraticism  in 
his  nature.  His  mind  was  luminous,  his  knowledge 
comprehensive,  his  insight  keen,  his  judgment  unerring, 
his  executive  ability  unrivaled.  All  these  qualities  were 
controlled  by  a  cool  and  equable  temperament  which 
always  gave  him  self-poise,  and  the  faculty  of  doing  the 
right  thing  at  the  right  time.  .  .  .  Patriot,  scholar, 
master  of  finance,  eminent  in  all  the  best  qualities  that 
go  to  round  out  the  character  of  the  perfect  citizen  of 
the  republic,  he  is  mourned  not  alone  by  his  State  and 
country,  but  in  the  financial  centres  of  the  Old  World, 
where  he  was  a  recognized  authority  in  American  na 
tional  finance,  and  was  regarded  as  America's  leading 
exponent  and  champion  of  sound  economic  doctrines. 

Minneapolis    Times. 

.  .  .  He  was  a  strong  and  upright  American,  a  believer 
in  the  institutions  of  the  republic,  a  powerful  friend  of 
his  adopted  State,  a  man  of  clear  intelligence,  of  grand 
intellectual  gifts,  and  as  able  a  financier  as  the  Repub 
lican  party  had  in  its  ranks. 

Minneapolis  Journal. 

.  .  .  Had  Mr.  Windom  been  President  of  the  United 
States  his  death  would  not  have  called  forth  more 
heartfelt  expressions  of  grief  and  regret  than  are  heard 
on  every  hand  now. 


136  WILLIAM  WISDOM 

St.  Paul  Pioneer  Press. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom's  death  will  be  a  severe  loss  to  the 
administration.  It  will  be  deplored  by  the  people  of  the 
whole  country,  but  by  none  so  deeply  as  by  the  people 
of  Minnesota,  whom  he  so  long  represented  in  the  two 
branches  of  Congress,  and  to  whose  interests  he  was 
always  devoted.  In  the  best  sense  of  the  term  Mr. 
Windom  was  a  good  man,  who  strove  to  do  his  duty  as 
he  understood  it  in  all  the  relations  of  life.  There  are 
not  so  many  men  of  his  stamp  in  the  world  that  the 
world  can  afford  to  lose  them. 

St.  Paul  Globe. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  did  valiant  work  for  the  interests 
of  this  commonwealth  while  he  represented  it  in  Wash 
ington,  and  in  the  wider  and  more  exacting  sphere  in 
which  his  executive  duties  have  called  him,  his  admin 
istration  has  been  conservative,  faithful,  and  effective. 
.  .  .  The  success,  high  character,  and  ability  of  William 
Windom  have  brought  credit  to  the  State  of  his  home 
and  residence  ;  and  the  "  Globe,"  along  with  the  whole 
people  of  Minnesota,  regrets  his  untimely  death. 

Chatfield   Democrat. 

.  .  .  William  Windom  was  true  and  pure  in  his 
public  life,  and  his  name  will  live  a  proud  one  in  the 
history  of  Minnesota. 


EDITORIALS  IN  MINNESOTA  JOURNALS    137 

Albert  Lea  Standard. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  a  steadfast,  strong,  able,  and 
good  man,  an  honor  to  Minnesota  and  his  country,  and 
his  memory  will  live  in  the  esteem  of  the  nation's 
noblest  citizens. 

Norihfield  Independent. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  enjoyed  in  an  unusual  degree  the 
confidence  of  the  whole  people.  They  believed  him  to 
be  an  upright  man  who  always  did  what  he  thought 
was  right,  and  who  in  the  discharge  of  his  public  duties 
was  not  influenced  by  sordid  motives,  nor  those  which 
might  appear  to  subserve  his  personal  ambition. 

Austin  Transcript. 

.  .  .  We  join  in  the  universal  sorrow  of  the  nation 
mourning  the  loss  of  one  of  her  noblest  sons.  Minne 
sota  has  especial  reason  for  sorrow  at  the  death  of  one 
who  has  given  us  especial  prominence  in  the  councils 
of  the  nation,  while  those  who  had  the  privilege  of  a 
personal  acquaintance  with  him  mourn  a  friend  ever 
courteous  and  helpful  and  kind. 

Austin  Register. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  the  foremost  man  in  the  State 
politically,  and  his  career  has  been  one  marked  only 
by  honor,  uprightness,  and  purity. 


138  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

Duluth  News. 

In  the  death  of  Hon.  William  Windom,  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  America  loses  one  of  her  greatest 
statesmen,  and  Minnesota  her  most  honored  citizen. 
So  far  as  ability  in  the  affairs  of  state  goes,  Minnesota 
does  not  contain  and  has  not  produced  his  equal,  and  the 
United  States  has  few,  if  any,  superiors.  Regardless 
of  politics,  Minnesota  is  proud  of  her  illustrious  son, 
and  will  sincerely  mourn  his  loss. 

St.  Cloud  Journal-Press. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  had  in  a  marked  degree  that  com 
mon  sense  which  is  "  the  genius  of  humanity,"  and  makes 
its  possessor  eminently  fit  for  public  usefulness.  His 
integrity  was  never  questioned  even  by  those  who  dif 
fered  with  him  most  widely  in  judgment  on  matters  of 
financial  policy,  as  his  private  life  was  peculiarly  ex 
emplary,  and  his  name  will  long  be  honored  by  the 
people  among  whom  he  lived,  and  whom  for  so  many 
years  he  faithfully  served. 

Mankato  Free  Press. 

.  .  .  Mr.  Windom  was  a  man  whom  Minnesota  loved 
to  honor.  For  over  thirty-five  years  he  was  a  conspicu 
ous  national  figure,  and  in  every  position  of  trust  he 
was  faithful,  conscientious,  and  just. 

Benson  Monitor. 

All  men  and  all  parties  recognized  the  superior 
ability  of  Mr.  Windom,  and  he  was  readily  accorded 
the  right  to  be  known  as  one  of  the  foremost  men  of 
the  day. 


EDITORIALS  IN  MINNESOTA  JOURNALS    139 

Marshall  News-Messenger. 

Mr.  Windom  was  honest,  resolute,  zealous  in  the  per 
formance  of  the  task  allotted  to  him,  and  free  from  van 
ity  and  selfishness.  Few  public  men  have  ever  lived 
up  to  a  higher  ideal  of  true  worth. 

Sank  Center  Herald. 

.  .  .  Modest,  tolerant  and  charitable,  Mr.  Windom 
was  as  firm  as  a  rock  in  his  devotion  to  principle.  His 
pure  life  and  unflinching  Christianity  are  not  less  lega 
cies  ever  to  be  cherished  by  the  nation  than  his  distin 
guished  ability  as  a  financier.  Thrice  honored  by 
Minnesota  with  a  seat  in  the  United  States  Senate,  his 
entire  official  career  has  honored  Minnesota  a  hun 
dred  fold.  He  owed  the  State  of  his  adoption  naught 
but  the  opportunity  ;  the  State  owes  him  much  for  the 
conspicuous  and  masterly  use  of  that  opportunity. 


.  ifcinfcom'j? 


to  the  toast,  "  Our  country's  prosper 
ity  dependent  upon  its  instruments  of  commerce,"  Mr. 
Windom  said  :] 

Mr.  President  and  Gentlemen  of  the  Board  of 
Trade  and  Transportation  : 

Early  association  with  the  charter  members  of 
your  Board,  and  full  sympathy  with  the  objects 
and  purposes  of  its  organization,  make  this  an 
occasion  of  peculiar  interest  to  me.  The  country 
owes  you  a  debt  of  gratitude  for  what  you  have 
done  in  the  interests  of  better  and  cheaper  trans 
portation.  Fifteen  years  ago,  when  your  Board 
was  organized  and  entered  upon  its  work,  our  fa 
cilities  for  the  interchange  of  products  were  quite 
inadequate,  and  freight  charges  were  more  than 
double  what  they  are  now. 

Improvements  made  by  the  transportation  com 
panies  themselves  have  been  very  satisfactory  ; 
but  though  much  has  been  accomplished  in  the 
cheapening  of  rates,  much  more  remains  to  be 
done.  If  I  might  be  allowed  to  suggest,  paren- 


MR.    WIN  DO  APS  LAST  ADDRESS  141 

thetically,  another  very  desirable  improvement,  it 
would  be  that  more  water  be  put  into  our  harbors 
and  canals,  and  less  into  our  railroad  stocks. 

I  am  to  speak  briefly  of  the  instruments  of  com 
merce,  in  their  relation  to  the  wealth  and  prosper 
ity  of  our  country. 

The  subject  is  very  broad,  and  my  time  very 
limited.  I  shall  therefore  confine  my  remarks  to 
the  two  chief  instrumentalities  of  commerce, — 
transportation  and  money.  By  the  former,  com 
modities  change  places,  and  by  the  latter  they  ex 
change  owners.  Even  as  to  these  I  must  coatent 
myself  with  the  bare  statement  of  a  few  facts  and 
deductions. 

A  nation's  wealth  and  prosperity  are  usually  in 
proportion  to  the  extent  and  success  of  its  com 
merce,  and  commerce  itself  is  dependent  upon  the 
adequacy  and  adaptation  of  these  two  essential 
instruments. 

The  history  of  all  civilized  countries  attests  the 
fact  that  the  nation  best  equipped  in  these  re 
spects  rapidly  becomes  the  most  powerful,  the 
richest,  and  the  most  prosperous. 

DOMESTIC    COMMERCE. 

Our  own  country  is  no  exception  to  this  rule. 
No  nation  has  ever  fostered  more  liberally,  or  pro 
tected  more  carefully,  its  internal  and  coastwise 
trade,  than  we  have  done,  and  the  resultant  mag- 


142  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

nitude  and  prosperity  of  our  domestic  commerce 
is,  I  believe,  without  a  parallel  in  the  history  of 
the  world.  For  the  accommodation  and  develop 
ment  of  our  home  trade,  we  have  built  45  per 
cent,  of  all  the  railroads  of  the  world.  We  have 
more  miles  of  railroad  than  all  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa  combined.  The  floating  tonnage  of  the 
United  States,  engaged  in  coastwise  commerce, 
and  on  our  lakes  and  rivers,  is  very  far  in  excess 
of  that  of  any  other  nation.  One  or  two  com 
parisons  will  convey  some  idea  of  this  stupendous 
commerce.  The  tonnage  which  passed  through 
the  Detroit  River  alone,  during  the  234  days  of 
navigation  in  1889,  exceeded  by  2,468,127  tons 
the  entire  British  and  foreign  tonnage  which  en 
tered  and  cleared  at  London  and  Liverpool  that 
year  in  the  foreign  and  coastwise  trade. 

The  freight  which  passed  through  the  St.  Mary's 
Falls  Canal  in  1890  exceeded  by  2,257,876  tons 
the  entire  tonnage  of  all  nations  which  passed 
through  the  Suez  Canal  in  1889. 

The  freight  carried  on  railroads  of  the  United 
States  in  1890  exceeded  by  over  36,000,000  tons 
the  aggregate  carried  on  all  the  railroads  of  the 
United  Kingdom,  Germany,  France,  and  Russia 
in  1889. 

Commodities  are  interchanged  among  our  own 
people  with  greater  facility,  and  at  cheaper  rates 
(distance  being  considered),  than  in  any  other 
country  on  earth. 


MR.    WINDOWH  LAtiT  ADULiEHtt  \  V<'> 

The  increase  of  national  wealth  arid  prosperity, 
largely  due  to  this  system  of  protection  to  our 
home  markets  arid  domestic  trade,  and  to  the  gen 
erous  development  of  these  instrumentalities  of 
f;ornin<-jr<-.  Jj;t-:  };i;foin<:  Uj<:  irj;xrv<-i  of  t.ljf;  WOtld. 
Take  a  few  comparisons,  based  upon  the  United 
States  census  of  1880,  and  upon  figures  furnished 
by  Mr.  Mulhall,  the  English  statistician. 

In  manufactures  we  exceeded  Great  Britain  in 
1880  by  $1,579,570,191,  France  by  152,115,000,- 
000,  and  Germany  by  $2,305,000,000. 

In  products  of  agriculture  we  excelled  Great 
Britain  by  $1,425,000,000,  France  by  $025,000,- 
000,  and  Germany  by  $925,000,000. 

Our  earnings  or  income  for  1880  from  com 
merce,  agriculture,  mining,  manufactures,  the  car 
rying  trade,  and  banking,  exceeded  those  of  Great 
Britain  from  the  same  sources  by  $1,250,000,000, 
France  by  $2,395,000,000,  and  Germany  by 
$2,775,000,000. 

Our  increase  of  wealth  from  1870  to  1880,  as 
compared  with  that  of  other  nations,  was  — 

United  States 813,573,481,493 

Great  Britain         ....  3,250,000,000 

France 1,475,000,000 

Germany 3,625,000,000 

In  1880  our  home  markets  consumed  about  ten 
billion  dollars'  worth  of  our  own  products,  an 
amount  equal  to  the  entire  accumulated  wealth  of 


144  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

Spain,  three  times  the  increase  of  wealth  in  Great 
Britain  for  ten  years,  and  seven  times  the  increase 
of  France  for  the  same  period.  Our  home  mar 
kets  that  year  absorbed  five  times  as  much  of  our 
manufactured  products  as  Great  Britain  exported 
of  hers  to  all  the  markets  of  the  world. 

Of  course,  I  do  not  claim  that  all  this  marvel 
ous  development  of  wealth  is  due  to  railroads  and 
ships,  but  without  them  it  would  certainly  have 
been  impossible.  But  for  these  instrumentalities 
of  commerce,  the  rich  farms  of  the  West  and 
South,  and  even  of  the  Middle  States,  would 
have  slumbered  in  primeval  silence,  and  the  myr 
iads  of  shops  and  factories  would  never  have  ex 
isted.  Were  the  ship  and  the  railroad  withdrawn, 
business  would  be  paralyzed,  and  desolation  would 
reign  supreme  over  more  than  half  of  our  broad 
domain. 

FOREIGN   COMMERCE. 

Contrast  these  grand  results  of  our  liberally- 
developed  domestic  commerce,  operating  upon  our 
protected  industries,  with  the  present  shameful 
condition  of  our  foreign  carrying  trade,  which 
has  not  only  been  sadly  neglected,  but  sometimes 
treated  with  actual  hostility  by  the  government. 

There  was  a  time  when  we  stood  first  among 
the  nations  in  shipbuilding,  and  Great  Britain 
alone  excelled  us  in  ocean  tonnage.  Once,  95  per 
cent,  of  our  imports  and  89  per  cent,  of  our  ex- 


MR.    WINDOM'S  LAST  ADDRESS  145 

ports  were  carried  in  American  bottoms,  and  our 
merchant  marine  became  the  boast  of  every  citi 
zen  and  the  envy  of  the  world. 

Now,  so  far  as  foreign  trade  is  concerned,  our 
shipyards  are  comparatively  silent,  and  our  flag  has 
almost  disappeared  from  the  high  seas.  The  rela 
tive  decline  in  our  foreign  shipping  has  been  con 
stant  and  alarming,  until  in  1889  only  12^  per  cent, 
of  our  imports  and  exports  was  carried  in  Ameri 
can  bottoms,  being  the  smallest  percentage  in  any 
year  since  the  formation  of  the  government.  Time 
will  not  permit  me  to  trace  the  rise  and  fall  of  this 
industry,  or  to  point  out  in  detail  the  causes  which 
have  resulted  in  our  present  humiliating  and  un 
profitable  condition.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the 
fault  was  not  with  the  founders  of  our  govern 
ment.  They  fully  appreciated  the  value  and  the 
necessity  of  a  strong  and  healthy  merchant  ma 
rine,  and  left  on  record  no  doubt  of  their  purpose 
to  protect  the  interests  of  the  Republic  on  the 
water  as  well  as  on  the  land.  The  second  act 
passed  by  the  First  Congress  —  July  4,  1789  — 
provided  for  the  protection  of  American  shipping 
by  the  imposition  of  a  discriminating  duty  in  favor 
of  teas  brought  in  American  vessels,  thereby  sig 
nalizing  the  first  4th  of  July  under  the  Constitu 
tion  by  a  declaration  of  commercial  independence, 
as  a  supplement  to  the  declaration  of  political  in 
dependence  made  thirteen  years  before. 
10 


146  WILLIAM  WIN  DOM 

The  third  act  of  Congress,  passed  sixteen  days 
later,  imposed  tonnage  duties  as  follows :  — 

Cents. 

American  vessels,  per  ton          ....         06 
American-built  vessels  belonging  to  foreigners, 

per  ton 30 

All  other  vessels,  per  ton  ....         50 

On  the  first  of  September  the  same  year  Con 
gress  prohibited  any  but  American  vessels  from 
carrying  the  American  flag. 

By  the  tariff  act  of  1794,  an  additional  discrim 
inating  duty  of  10  per  cent,  was  levied  on  all 
goods  imported  in  vessels  not  of  the  United  States. 
And  in  all  changes  of  the  tariff  prior  to  the  War 
of  1812  this  discriminating  duty  of  10  per  cent, 
was  reenacted.  So  great  was  the  development  of 
our  shipbuilding  and  shipping  interests  under  the 
fostering  influence  of  these  acts,  that  we  sold  ships 
amounting  to  hundreds  of  thousands  of  tons  to 
foreigners,  and  soon  took  front  rank  among  mari 
time  nations. 

Voicing  the  national  pride  in  1825,  Daniel 
Webster  said :  "  We  have  a  commerce  which 
leaves  no  sea  unexplored  ;  navies  which  take  no 
law  from  superior  force."  How  like  bitter  irony 
these  words  would  sound  in  1891 !  The  brilliancy 
of  our  achievements  on  the  ocean  begat  over-con 
fidence,  and,  listening  to  the  siren  voice  of  free 
trade,  we  gradually  yielded  to  the  seductive 


ME.    WINDOM'S  LAST  ADDRESS  147 

phrase,  "  reciprocal  liberty  of  commerce,"  which 
at  that  time  became  very  popular,  until  in  1828 
Congress  swept  away  all  protection  to  our  foreign 
shipping  interest,  and  opened  our  ports  to  the 
ships  of  all  nations,  on  the  same  terms  as  to  our 
own.  So  strong  had  our  position  become  under 
the  protective  policy  of  the  first  twenty-five  years 
of  national  life,  that  our  merchant  marine  contin 
ued  to  be  prosperous  so  long  as  wooden  vessels 
were  the  only  vehicles  of  ocean  commerce,  and 
other  nations  refrained  from  heavy  subsidies  to 
their  ships.  But  when  wooden  vessels  began  to 
be  supplanted  by  iron  steamers,  and  European 
governments  poured  their  contributions  into  the 
treasuries  of  their  steamship  companies,  the  deca 
dence  of  American  shipping  began,  and  has  con 
tinued  ever  since.  How  could  it  be  otherwise  ? 
The  American  people  ask  no  odds  against  any  in 
the  world.  Give  them  an  even  chance  and  they 
will  distance  all  competitors,  but  how  can  they  be 
expected  to  compete  unaided  against  foreign  ship 
yards  and  shipowners,  backed  by  the  power  and 
the  treasuries  of  their  governments  ?  The  amount 
which  has  been  thus  contributed  to  sweep  our 
commerce  from  the  seas  cannot  be  accurately 
stated,  but  it  is  known  to  have  reached  hundreds 
of  millions  of  dollars. 

The  mischief  and  its  cause  are  both  apparent. 
What  is  the  remedy  ?     It  cannot  be  found  in  the 


148  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

reenactment  of  the  legislation  of  1789,  because 
treaties  stand  in  the  way,  and  it  would  not  now 
be  expedient  even  if  there  were  no  treaties  on  the 
subject.  In  my  judgment,  the  remedy  is  plain 
and  easily  applied.  If  we  would  regain  our  lost 
prestige,  reinstate  our  flag  upon  the  ocean,  and 
open  the  markets  of  the  world  to  American  pro 
ducers,  we  must  make  the  contest  with  the  same 
weapons  which  have  proved  so  successful  in  the 
hands  of  our  rivals.  No  nation  can  better  afford 
this  kind  of  contest  than  ourselves.  Surely  no 
object  is  of  greater  importance  than  the  enlarge 
ment  of  our  foreign  markets,  and  nothing  will 
contribute  so  much  to  that  end  as  the  command 
of  direct  and  ample  facilities  for  reaching  them. 
The  folly  and  the  danger  of  depending  upon  our 
competitors  for  the  means  of  reaching  competitive 
markets  cannot  be  expressed.  Aid  to  our  mer 
chant  marine  is  not  aid  to  a  class,  but  to  the  whole 
people,  —  to  the  farmer,  the  merchant,  and  the 
manufacturer,  quite  as  much  as  to  the  shipbuilder 
and  the  shipowner. 

But  it  will  cost  money.  Will  it  pay  ?  Yes,  a 
hundred  fold.  The  aggregate  of  our  foreign  car 
rying  trade  for  the  past  twenty-five  years,  while 
not  more  than  one  tenth  of  our  domestic  trade, 
has,  nevertheless,  reached  the  enormous  sum  of 
$29,465,124,920.  Estimating  the  cost  of  trans 
portation  at  10  per  cent,  of  the  value  of  the  goods, 


MR.    WINDOW'S  LAST  ADDRESS  149 

we  have  an  expenditure  of  about  13,000,000,000, 
at  least  80  per  cent,  of  which  —  $2,400,000,000 
—  has  been  paid  to  foreign  shipowners.  If  we 
add  to  this  $20,000,000  a  year  paid  for  passage 
money,  we  have  a  grand  total  of  $2,900,000,000 
paid  to  foreign  labor  and  capital  during  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century,  a  sum  larger  by  nearly 
two  hundred  millions  than  the  maximum  of  our 
bonded  debt  growing  out  of  the  late  war.  Are  not 
the  benefits  which  would  accrue  from  paying  these 
sums  to  our  own  people  worth  saving  ?  During 
that  period  we  have  exported  of  gold  and  silver, 
to  pay  balances  of  trade  against  us,  an  excess  of 
$607,000,000  more  than  we  have  imported.  Had 
we  carried  a  fair  share  of  our  own  foreign  com 
merce  in  American  ships,  owned  by  American  cit 
izens,  and  manned  by  American  seamen,  this  vast 
sum,  and  much  more,  might  have  been  retained  at 
home  to  enrich  our  own  people. 

Suppose  that  for  twenty-five  years  we  had  given 
$5,000,000  a  year  in  aid  of  our  foreign  shipping, 
and  reduced  by  that  amount  the  prepayments  of 
our  bonded  debt,  should  we  not  have  been  far 
better  off  than  we  are  now? 

Is  it  not  high  time  these  vast  interests  receive 
attention  ?  Have  we  not  tried  the  do  -  nothing 
policy  long  enough?  Shall  we  give  that  protec 
tion  and  support  to  our  foreign  merchant  marine 
that  other  nations  give  to  theirs,  and  which  we 


150  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

freely  give  to  all  our  other  great  interests ;  or  shall 
we  accept  as  inevitable  our  present  shameful  po 
sition  ?  I  regret  to  say  that  the  uniform  record 
of  indifference,  if  not  actual  hostility,  during  the 
last  fifty  years,  affords  little  reason  for  encourage 
ment.  In  fact,  the  tendency  of  late  has  been  to 
surrender  to  foreigners  even  our  domestic  com 
merce,  rather  than  to  assert  ourselves  upon  the 
ocean.  Discriminations  of  the  most  astonishing 
character  have  been  made,  both  by  Congress  and 
by  treasury  regulations,  in  favor  of  Canadian 
railroad  lines  and  steamships  against  our  own. 
One  instance  of  this  kind  may  serve  to  illustrate 
the  nature  and  extent  of  many  other  discrimina 
tions  of  like  characer.  Asiatic  merchandise  des 
tined  for  New  York,  if  brought  in  American  ves 
sels  to  San  Francisco,  must  undergo  all  the  forms 
and  delays  of  entry,  under  the  strict  scrutiny  of 
customs  officers,  and  be  then  placed  in  cars  heav 
ily  bonded  for  transportation  through  our  own 
country  to  New  York ;  while  the  same  merchan 
dise,  if  brought  in  Canadian  or  British  steamships 
to  Vancouver,  is  transferred  at  once,  and  without 
any  substantial  surveillance,  to  Canadian  railways, 
which  are  not  required  to  give  bond,  but  are  per 
mitted  to  pass  our  frontier  and  proceed  to  New 
York  or  other  Eastern  ports  unvexed  by  any  of 
the  disagreeable  attentions  of  customs  officers. 
The  same  discrimination  has  existed  for  years  in 


MR.    WINDOWS  LAST  ADDRESS  151 

favor  of  European  goods  lauded  at  Montreal  and 
transferred  to  Canadian  railroads  for  Western 
American  ports,  against  goods  landed  at  New 
York,  Boston,  and  other  Eastern  ports,  to  be 
transported  wholly  through  our  own  country  to 
their  Western  destination.  The  result  of  these 
unfair  and  unjust  discriminations  against  our  own 
people  and  our  own  transportation  lines  has  been 
not  only  seriously  to  jeopardize  the  revenues,  but 
also  to  build  up  foreign  transportation  interests 
at  the  expense  of  our  own. 

*'  Reciprocal  liberty  of  commerce "  is  a  high- 
sounding,  seductive  phrase,  but  the  kind  of  lib 
erty  our  foreign  shipping  interest  has  enjoyed  for 
the  last  fifty  years  is  the  liberty  to  die  under  un 
just  discriminations  of  the  London  Lloyds'  Regis 
ter  Association,  the  crushing  power  of  European 
treasuries,  and  the  utter  neglect  and  indifference 
of  our  own  government.  Reciprocity  itself  is  a 
most  valuable  thing,  if  kept  within  the  lines  of 
protection ;  but  reciprocity  by  which  we  surrender 
our  merchant  marine  to  our  rivals,  or  give  away 
a  home  market  worth  ten  times  more  to  us  than 
all  the  other  markets  of  the  world,  in  the  vain  at 
tempt  to  grasp  an  uncertain  market  abroad,  is  a 
policy  freighted  with  immeasurable  disaster. 

Presidents  of  the  United  States  have  repeat 
edly  expressed  the  national  humiliation,  and  ap 
pealed  to  Congress  for  action  in  behalf  of  our 


152  WILLIAM    WINDOM 

rapidly  vanishing  merchant  marine  ;  but  thus  far 
their  words  have  fallen  upon  deaf  ears.  Let  us 
hope  that  the  urgent  appeals  of  President  Harri 
son  on  this  subject  may  bear  fruit  in  some  well- 
devised  measure  of  protection  and  encouragement. 

MONEY. 

Pardon  a  few  words  with  reference  to  the  in 
strument  by  which  commodities  exchange  owner 
ship. 

It  is  as  essential  to  commerce  that  the  currency 
with  which  it  is  conducted  be  adapted,  both  in 
quantity  and  quality,  to  the  wants  of  trade,  as 
that  the  vehicles  of  transportation  should  be 
adapted  to  their  purposes.  If  the  circulation  be 
deficient,  trade  is  crippled ;  prices  fall ;  obliga 
tions  are  dishonored ;  distrust  is  created  ;  and  com 
mercial  panic  and  disaster  ensue.  If,  on  the  other 
hand,  circulation  be  redundant,  prices  become 
temporarily  inflated ;  wild  speculations  are  stimu 
lated  ;  debts  are  recklessly  contracted ;  credit  is 
dangerously  expanded,  and  for  a  time  trade  seems 
to  float  upon  the  high  tide  of  success  ;  when,  sud 
denly,  the  failure  of  some  large  firm  or  banking- 
house  discloses  the  true  situation,  and  the  entire 
fabric  of  fictitious  prosperity  falls  with  a  crash 
even  more  disastrous  than  can  be  produced  by  a 
deficient  circulation. 

The  ideal  financial  system  would  be  one  that 


MR.    WINDOM'S  LAST  ADDRESS  153 

should  furnish  just  enough  of  absolutely  sound 
currency  to  meet  the  legitimate  wants  of  trade,  and 
no  more,  and  that  should  have  enough  elasticity 
of  volume  to  adjust  itself  to  the  varying  necessi 
ties  of  the  people.  I  know  this  seems  difficult 
of  attainment,  but  I  believe  it  is  substantially 
possible.  Could  such  a  circulating  medium  be 
secured,  the  gravest  commercial  disasters  which 
threaten  our  future  might  be  avoided.  These  dis 
asters  have  always  come  when  unusual  activity 
in  business  has  caused  an  abnormal  demand  for 
money,  as  in  the  autumn,  for  the  movement  of  our 
immense  crops.  There  will  always  be  great  dan 
ger  at  those  times  under  any  cast-iron  system  of 
currency,  such  as  we  now  have.  Had  it  not  been 
for  the  peculiar  conditions  which  enabled  the 
United  States  Treasury  to  disburse  over  $ 75,000,- 
000  in  about  two  and  a  half  months  last  autumn,  I 
am  firmly  convinced  that  the  stringency  in  August 
and  September  would  have  resulted  in  widespread 
financial  ruin.  Like  commercial  conditions  will 
frequently  occur,  but  it  is  not  at  all  probable  that 
they  can  be  encountered,  and  their  consequences 
averted  by  like  action  of  the  government ;  nor  is 
it  desirable  that  such  power  should  be  lodged  with 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

I  am  thoroughly  convinced  that  a  better  method 
can  be  devised,  which  will,  in  a  large  degree, 
place  the  power  of  expansion  and  contraction  in 


154  WILLIAM    WIN  DOM 

the  hands  of  the  people  themselves.  The  oppor 
tunity  for  securing  such  a  currency  may  be  found 
in  our  bonded  debt,  which  should,  in  my  judg 
ment,  be  in  part  exchanged  for  inter-convertible 
bonds,  bearing  a  low  rate  of  interest,  and  always 
interchangeable  for  money  at  the  will  of  the  holder. 
Of  course  I  cannot  now  enter  upon  an  argument 
on  this  subject,  but  I  may  be  excused  for  briefly 
mentioning  the  only  objection  I  have  ever  heard 
to  the  plan  which  has  any  apparent  weight,  viz., 
that  it  would  cause  an  outflow  of  money  from 
the  treasury  when  speculations  run  high,  and  an 
inflow  in  times  of  threatened  panic,  and  would 
therefore  tend  to  "  inflate  inflation  and  contract 
contraction."  This  objection  was  conclusively  an 
swered  and  the  policy  triumphantly  vindicated  in 
1862  and  1863,  under  the  administration  of  Sal 
mon  P.  Chase,  who  was  one  of  the  ablest  Secreta 
ries  of  the  Treasury  we  have  ever  had.  Mr.  Chase 
had  urged  and  Congress  had  authorized  what  he 
called  the  "  Savings  Bank  of  the  People,"  whereby 
they  could  deposit  in  the  treasury  up  to  the  limit 
of  $100,000,000,  and  receive  an  inter-convertible 
bond,  drawing  not  more  than  5  per  cent,  interest, 
which  bond  was  again  convertible  into  cash  at  the 
will  of  the  holder  on  ten  days'  notice.  It  is  well 
known  that  the  year  1862,  and  the  first  half  of 
1863,  was  a  period  of  most  active  speculation,  and 
yet  those  deposits  continually  increased,  until  on 


MR.    WINDOM'S  LAST  ADDRESS  155 

June  30,  1863,  they  had  overrun  the  limit,  and 
amounted  to  8104,934,102. 

In  August  and  September  of  1863  the  unusual 
activity  of  business  had  placed  the  country  in  the 
same  condition  it  was  last  autumn.  A  severe 
stringency  set  in,  and  panic  was  threatened.  Did 
this  vast  deposit  of  over  $100,000,000  remain  in 
safe  hiding,  and  thereby  intensify  the  stringency  ? 
Exactly  the  reverse  occurred.  At  the  time  when 
it  is  argued  that  everybody  who  could  would  avail 
himself  of  this  safe  and  convenient  place  for  hoard 
ing  money,  and  draw  four  and  five  per  cent,  inter 
est  on  it  until  the  storm  should  pass  the  money 
actually  flowed  out  at  the  rate  of  millions  a  day, 
until  on  December  1, 1863, 159,427,000  had  come 
out  to  the  relief  of  business,  and  a  commercial 
crisis  had  been  thereby  averted.  I  commend  this 
item  of  history  as  of  more  value  than  any  theory. 

The  quality  of  circulation  is  even  more  impor 
tant  than  the  quantity.  Numerous  devices  for 
enlarging  credit  may,  and  often  do,  avert  the  evils 
of  a  deficient  circulation ;  and  a  redundancy  may 
sometimes  modify  its  own  evils  before  their  results 
become  universal ;  but  for  the  baleful  effects  of 
a  debased  and  fluctuating  currency  there  is  no 
remedy,  except  by  the  costly  and  difficult  return 
to  sound  money.  As  poison  in  the  blood  perme 
ates  arteries,  veins,  nerves,  brain,  and  heart,  and 
speedily  brings  paralysis  or  death,  so  does  a  de- 


156  WILLIAM   WINDOM 

based  or  fluctuating  currency  permeate  all  the 
arteries  of  trade,  paralyze  all  kinds  of  business, 
and  bring  disaster  to  all  classes  of  people.  It  is 
as  impossible  for  commerce  to  flourish  with  such 
an  instrument  as  it  is  for  the  human  body  to  grow 
strong  and  vigorous  with  a  deadly  poison  lurking 
in  the  blood.  Such  a  currency  is  bad  enough  in 
domestic  trade,  but  it  is  absolutely  fatal  to  the 
prosperity  of  foreign  commerce.  The  nation  that 
attempts  to  conduct  its  foreign  trade  with  a  cur 
rency  of  uncertain  value,  or  of  inferior  quality,  is 
placed  at  a  fearful  disadvantage.  It  would  seem 
superfluous  to  impress  this  universal  and  well- 
known  experience,  were  it  not  too  apparent  that 
this  nation  has  been  in  danger  of  repeating  the 
costly  experiment  with  just  such  a  currency.  The 
tendency  of  events  has  recently  been  in  that  di 
rection,  and  the  apprehension  of  danger  created 
thereby  has  caused  the  loss,  since  December  1,  of 
over  124,000,000  of  gold  from  the  treasury,  and 
of  probably  a  much  larger  amount  from  the  cir 
culation.  I  am  happy  to  say,  however,  that  this 
peril  seems  now  to  have  passed,  and  it  is  to  be 
hoped  its  evil  effects  will  soon  disappear.  The 
"  sober  second  thought "  of  the  people  is  asserting 
itself  as  usual,  and  signal  lights  of  safety  are  here 
and  there  becoming  visible. 

Let  me  speak  very  plainly  on  this  most  impor 
tant  subject. 


MR.    WINDOW'S  LAST  ADDRESS  157 

Believing  that  there  is  not  enough  of  either 
gold  or  silver  in  the  world  to  meet  the  necessities 
of  business,  I  am  an  earnest  bimetalist,  and  con 
cede  to  no  one  a  stronger  desire  than  I  feel  for 
the  free  and  unlimited  coinage  of  silver,  as  soon 
as  conditions  can  be  reached,  through  international 
agreement  or  otherwise,  by  which  such  coinage 
shall  be  safe.  But  it  is  my  firm  conviction  that  for 
this  country  to  enter  upon  that  experiment  now, 
and  under  existing  conditions,  would  be  extremely 
disastrous,  and  that  it  would  result,  not  in  bimet- 
alism,  but  in  silver  mono-metalism.  Such  an  ex 
periment  would,  in  my  judgment,  prove  a  greater 
disappointment  to  its  advocates  than  to  any  one 
else.  They  insist  that  it  would  expand  the  circu 
lation,  and  permanently  enhance  the  value  of  sil 
ver.  I  believe  it  would  produce  a  swift  and  severe 
contraction,  and  eventually  reduce  the  market 
value  of  silver.  Let  me  briefly  suggest  some  of 
my  reasons  for  this  belief :  — 

Free  and  unlimited  coinage  of  silver  by  the 
United  States,  while  the  other  great  nations  pur 
sue  an  opposite  policy,  would  invite  all  the  own 
ers  of  that  metal,  throughout  the  world,  to  ex 
change  371^  grains  of  pure  silver,  worth  about  83 
cents,  for  23.22  grains  of  pure  gold,  worth  every 
where  100  cents.  Nearly  all  the  nations  of  Eu 
rope  are  anxious  to  exchange  their  silver  for  gold, 
and  they  would  at  once  accept  so  tempting  an 


158  WILLIAM  WINDOM 

offer.  The  mint  statistics  of  the  Treasury  De 
partment  show  that  the  stock  of  full  legal-tender 
silver  in  Europe  amounts  to  $1,101,400,000,  and 
that  of  this  amount,  the  banks  of  France,  Ger 
many,  Austria -Hungary,  The  Netherlands,  and 
Belgium  hold  $428,866,665.  A  large  part  of 
these  vast  stocks  of  silver  would  be  ready  for 
transfer  to  us  at  once,  and  the  swiftest  steamers 
would  be  employed  to  deliver  it  to  the  treasury, 
in  order  that  with  the  proceeds  the  owners  might 
buy  gold  exchange  on  Europe  before  our  stock  of 
gold  should  be  exhausted. 

Would  our  own  people  await  the  arrival  of 
these  silver  argosies  from  Europe  before  acting  ? 
Not  unless  the  Yankee  has  lost  his  quick  scent  of 
danger  and  forgotten  his  cunning.  Bank  depos 
itors,  trust  companies,  the  holders  of  United 
States  notes  and  gold  certificates,  would  instantly 
lock  up  all  the  gold  at  command,  and  then  join 
the  panic-inspired  procession  to  the  treasury,  each 
and  all  anxious  to  be  in  time  to  grasp  the  golden 
prize  before  it  is  too  late.  Probably  before  the 
swiftest  ocean  greyhound  could  land  its  silver  cargo 
in  New  York,  the  last  gold  dollar  within  reach 
would  be  safely  hidden  away  in  private  boxes,  and 
in  the  vaults  of  safe -deposit  companies,  to  be 
brought  out  only  by  a  high  premium  for  exporta 
tion.  This  sudden  retirement  of  $600,000,000  of 
gold,  with  the  accompanying  panic,  would  cause 


MR.    WINDOM'S  LAST  ADDRESS  159 

contraction  and  commercial  disaster  unparalleled 
in  human  experience  ;  and  our  country  would  at 
once  step  down  to  the  silver  basis,  when  there 
would  be  no  longer  any  inducement  for  coinage, 
and  silver  dollars  would  sink  to  their  bullion 
value. 

When  the  silver  dollar  ceases  to  have  more 
value  than  the  bullion  it  contains,  there  will  be 
little  inducement  to  coin  our  own  silver,  and  the 
cost  of  transportation  will  prevent  its  coming  from 
abroad.  How,  then,  will  unlimited  coinage  either 
expand  the  circulation  or  enhance  the  value  of 
silver  ? 

As  if  determined  to  omit  nothing  which  might 
accelerate  these  results,  the  advocates  of  present 
free  coinage  insist  that  it  shall  not  await  the  slow 
process  of  mint  operations,  but  that  the  printing- 
press  shall  be  set  to  work  providing  certificates  to 
be  issued  for  silver  bullion  at  one  dollar  for  371^ 
grains. 

When  this  consummation  shall  be  reached,  as 
surely  it  will  be  if  unlimited  coinage  be  adopted 
under  existing  conditions,  the  too  ardent  and  im 
petuous  lovers  of  silver  will  sadly  realize  the  truth 
uttered  by  the  wise  king  of  Israel :  "He  that  lov- 
eth  silver  shall  not  be  satisfied  with  silver." 

Mr.  President  and  gentlemen,  my  subject  has 
tempted  me  to  impose  upon  your  patience.  I  will 
close  by  merely  calling  your  attention  to  one  other 


160  WILLIAM   WIN  DOM 

thing  which  I  deem  very  important  both  to  our 
commercial  and  financial  interest,  viz.,  the  pas 
sage  of  the  bill  now  pending  in  Congress  for  the 
establishment  of  an  international  bank,  to  facili 
tate  our  exchanges  with  Mexico  and  Central  and 
South  America.  New  York  is  destined,  at  no  dis 
tant  day,  to  become  the  financial  as  well  as  the 
commercial  centre  of  the  world,  and  such  an  in 
stitution  would  in  my  judgment  be  a  long  step 
toward  that  end,  as  well  as  a  most  valuable  instru 
mentality  for  the  promotion  of  commerce  with 
those  countries. 

Give  us  direct  and  ample  transportation  facili 
ties  under  the  American  flag,  and  controlled  by 
American  citizens ;  a  currency  sound  in  quality 
and  adequate  in  quantity ;  an  international  bank 
to  facilitate  exchanges,  and  a  system  of  reciprocity 
carefully  adjusted  within  the  lines  of  protection, 
—  and  not  only  will  our  foreign  commerce  again 
invade  every  sea,  but  every  American  industry 
will  be  quickened,  and  our  whole  people  feel  the 
impulse  of  a  new  and  enduring  prosperity. 


WILLIAM   WINDOM. 

Born  in  Belmont  County,  Ohio,  May  10,  1827. 

Admitted  to  the  Bar,  1850. 
Elected  to  the  thirty-sixth,  thirty-seventh,  thirty-eighth, 

thirty-ninth,  and  fortieth  Congresses. 

Appointed  to  the  United  States  Senate  1869. 

Elected  to  the  United  States  Senate  1871. 

Reelected  1877. 
Appointed  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 

by  James  A.  Garfield  1881. 

Reelected  to  the  United  States  Senate  1881. 

Appointed  Secretary  of  the  Treasury 

by  Benjamin  Harrison  1889. 

Died  in  the  City  of  New  York,  January  29,  1891. 

Buried  in  Washington,  February  2,  1891. 


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